Penn State’s men’s basketball team plays its annual Coaches vs. Cancer game January 28 when the Nittany Lions host Illinois at the Bryce Jordan Center. The game, however, is just part of the Coaches vs. Cancer effort to raise money for causes that help in the fight against cancer.
Co-director Al Karosas has been involved with CvC for 18 years, and he took time to talk about this year’s game and the strength in Penn State’s CvC organization.
T&G: Has cancer affected you or anyone in your family?
Karosas: Unfortunately, like many other families, cancer has impacted my family. I have lost an aunt, a grandfather, and, most recently, my father.
T&G: How have you seen the Coaches vs. Cancer game change over the years?
Karosas: There two things that stand out to me. First, the support of our sponsors and community continues to grow. It amazes me at times that all you need to say is, “Can you support CvC?” and the answer isn’t just, “Well … sure,” — it’s “Yes! I want to help in any way I can.” They support CvC with their dollars, their products, and their time. The second thing has been the commitment of our volunteers and our committee. They’ve always been supportive and given a lot, but a lot of people don’t know that our committee is all volunteers and put in endless hours to make all of our events the best they can be. I’m honored to work with all of them.
T&G: How has it been working with Pat Chambers on CVC events since he came on board in 2011?
Karosas: Every coach has been so important in growing our CvC program, and each has brought something personal to add to our cause. Pat brings drive. You see how he pushes his team and gets every last drop he can from them — well, the fire doesn’t just stop on the court. We’ve all been down, tired, etc. Pat picks us up, encourages and motivates us, and always reminds us how important our mission is.
T&G: Do you feel CvC at Penn State is unique compared to what other CvC groups do across the country?
Karosas: I may be a bit biased, but yes! We hear a lot how our events are second to none — again, all due to our sponsors, committee and volunteers. There are a lot of golf tournaments, 5K runs, etc., but we always push to be the best. We want to raise as money as we possibly can to fight this dreaded disease. We do that by producing top-notch events and welcoming new, creative events like the beer festival that Mike and Malissa Martin put on.
T&G: What are some things you’d like to see happen for CvC in the future?
Karosas: Perfect world? I’d love for us to help be a part of finding a breakthrough in the fight against cancer. There are things we can do now to help us take that next step — simple things. Come support us during our annual CvC game on January 28 vs. Illinois. Single-game proceeds help us in our cause as well as some of the great silent auction prizes. I think we may soon have the ability to create some additional events and partner on events with the Pink Zone, the Bob Perks Foundation, Team Ream, the Bestwick Foundation, and all of the amazing organizations out there fighting alongside with us to help find a cure!
For more information on Coaches vs. Cancer at Penn State, visit cvcpennstate.org.
