YSU men’s coaches in sneakers

YOUNGSTOWN — The Youngstown State men’s basketball coaching staff will wear white sneakers with their suits on Saturday night when the Penguins host Detroit as part of the 2009 Coaches vs. Cancer Suits and Sneakers awareness weekend.

Tip-off between the Penguins and the Titans is set for 7:05 p.m. at Beeghly Center.

The Coaches vs. Cancer Suits and Sneakers initiative is a collaboration between the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) and the American Cancer Society (ACS) which unites coaches from across the country in a common effort to raise cancer awareness in their communities.

The program leverages the personal experiences, community leadership and professional excellence of basketball coaches nationwide to increase cancer awareness and promote healthy living through year-round awareness efforts, fund-raising activities and advocacy programs.

Coaches vs. Cancer evolved from a concept championed by Norm Stewart, former head coach of the University of Missouri’s men’s basketball program, cancer survivor and member of the National Association of Basketball Coaches.

He started the program by challenging fans to pledge a dollar amount for every three points made by his team during the season.

The American Cancer Society and the NABC adopted that concept in 1993 and transformed it into a nationwide effort to unite coaches across the country in the common mission to provide help and hope to all people facing cancer.

Today, more than 500 Division I, II and III college coaches are involved in the program.

Coaches vs. Cancer has raised nearly $40 million since its inception to support the American Cancer Society’s lifesaving mission to eliminate cancer as a life-threatening disease.

Additionally, more than 100 high school coaches participate in the program.