Senior Urgency and Fighting Cancer

Coaches versus Cancer

(St. Louis, MO) –  Just before the basketball season’s final push, college basketball teams and coaches participated in ‘Coaches versus Cancer’ activities and seniors are starting to realize their careers are coming to an end. ‘Senior urgency’ seems to be real. How real?

We asked Missouri Valley Conference coaches.

Senior Urgency

Northern Iowa’s Ben Jacobson says senior urgency is as individual as each player. During his 19 years as a head coach, he has graduated scores of players. His current trio of seniors are unique in their own way. Tytan Anderson is playing in his fifth year at UNI. Jacob Hutson began his college career at Loyola and has spent the past two in Cedar Falls. Cael Schmidt is a D2 transfer in his first season as a Panther.

Jacobson says Anderson, Hutson and Schmidt each has their own approach to their final weeks in college hoops.

Bradley’s Brian Wardle says he hopes ‘senior urgency’ kicks in immediately. The Braves have lost two-straight games and Wardle believes focusing on fundamentals and helping his players with perspective is important during this season of senior urgency.

Belmont’s Casey Alexander doesn’t really consider ‘senior urgency’, but realizes the final weeks of the season have their own pressures, expectations and goals.

Missouri State’s Cuonzo Martin doesn’t believe in senior urgency. He believes in being urgent all the time. Martin says players need to know that every day activities like going to class, film sessions and basketball drills require consistency and their best efforts.

Coaches versus Cancer

Last week college basketball teams participated in the annual Coaches Versus Cancer activities. ‘Suits and Sneakers’ is a part of the overall plans. ESPN  and ‘The V Foundation’ and many national voices are involved.

Valley coaches were enthusiastic participants. Martin has experienced his own personal cancer diagnosis. He is grateful for people like Missouri’s Norm Stewart that launched this campaign and believes he’s obligated to do his part.

Alexander echoes that admiration for Stewart and others. He’s glad that Coaches versus Cancer does more than just raise awareness. The millions of dollars raised for research and treatment makes a significant difference.

Wardle and his wife Lisa take the cause personally. Both of Lisa’s parents experienced cancer-related deaths. The Bradley head coach is passionate about ‘keeping people going’ while research makes it possible to conquer the disease.

UNI’s participation involved wearing extremely pink shirts. ‘Coach Jake’ says the shirts are distinctive for a reason. The slogans on the shirts, “Hope Always”, “Losing is Not an Option” and “Team Joyce”. Joyce was a long time friend and supporter of the Panther program and passed away years ago. Jacobson is grateful that those close to the Panther program care about the issue and remember Joyce.

Valley coaches are committed to things bigger than winning and losing games. They care about what lies ahead for their seniors and helping numerous, important, non-basketball issues.

Do Good