It couldn’t have been any nicer on Friday afternoon as Penn State’s 19th annual Coaches Vs. Cancer event teed off on Penn State’s Blue and White golf courses.
Around 300 golfers and celebrities made the trip to State College including five-time NBA Title winner Ron Harper and former Nittany Lion turned Portland Trailblazer Tim Frazier.
As excited as head coach Patrick Chambers was for the weather and what figures to be a record turnout, it was a moment to remember how cancer continues to impact those around the program.
Most specifically, current and longtime equipment manager Mitch Stover has been battling the disease and is only days removed from a 10 hour long surgery. Women’s basketball marketing manager Kathy Drysdale continues to battle the disease as well. Chambers lost his brother Greg two years ago. It has made the event far more personal than anyone ever expected.
“It’s really starting to hit home that we’ve got to continue to do this,” Chambers said, “and somehow, some way make it bigger and better.”
And for Chambers and the rest of his staff the event has gotten bigger and better. Coaches from all across Penn State athletics as well as community members and businesses alike continue to support the cause. While the Penn State basketball program takes a back seat to the more important cause of the day, the ability to reunite generations of Penn State basketball players and coaches is something Chambers is grateful for as well.
“An event we look forward to all year, with everybody coming back and fighting for an incredible cause,” Chambers said. “Everybody’s so dialed in to fighting this thing and raising as much funds as we can … All these guys are coming back. It hasn’t been like that. It speaks volumes to the character of Tim Frazier and a lot of these guys.”
The final total of money raised will be announced at a later time, but if the weather, enthusiasm and energy across the course is any indication, everyone will have opened their wallets to support a cause with far more accuracy than most of their drives off the tee.
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