When the men’s basketball team takes the court this weekend, the players will have some competition when it comes to sneakers — and not from the opposing squad.
Head coach Tom Penders and his staff will be trading in their usual formal footwear for sneakers, all in the name of a good cause. As members of the National Association of Basketball Coaches, Penders & Co. will be participating in the Coaches vs. Cancer Suits and Sneakers Awareness Weekend when UH takes on Marshall at 5 p.m., Saturday at Hofheinz Pavilion.
Done in conjunction with the American Cancer Society, Coaches vs. Cancer has raised more than $55 million since 1993 to help ACS fund various cancer research projects and aid those dealing with the disease.
The UH Athletics Department is encouraging fans attending Saturday’s matchup against the Thundering Herd to also wear sneakers in a show of support.
According to www.cancer.org, former Missouri coach Norm Stewart, a cancer survivor, originally developed the idea behind Coaches vs. Cancer by challenging fans to donate a dollar amount for every 3-pointer made by the Tigers during the 1993 season. That effort led to the formation of the Coaches vs. Cancer Council in 1998, and the tradition continues to this day.
Women’s Basketball
The men won’t be the only ones helping to fight cancer when they take the court, as the UH women’s basketball team will be participating in Hoops for the Cure in its Feb. 7, 1 p.m., home game against Memphis. This will be the third consecutive year the Cougars team with The Rose, a non-profit breast cancer organization, to help raise awareness and fans in attendance will have the opportunity to donate to the organization.
The UH Athletics Department has several events planned for the afternoon, including recognizing cancer survivors, halftime entertainment presented by jump rope group The Highflyers and free pink T-shirts for the first 200 fans to match the pink shooting shirts being donned by the Cougars.
