Football: Players Host Charity Video Game Tournament for Uplifting Athletes – Ohio State Buckeyes
7/31/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
More than 50 players attend charitable event to raise money for the Kidney Cancer Association
COLUMBUS, Ohio Twenty Ohio State football student-athletes went head-to-head in a football video game tournament at Eddie George’s Grille 27 in Columbus Wednesday to help make a rare disease better known. The event was part of student-run organization called Uplifting Athletes in an effort to raise awareness and money for the Kidney Cancer Association.
Around 20-30 additional players and fans were in attendance to show their support for the cause. Donald Washington claimed the tournament title after upsetting Chris Wells in the semifinals. But not before a dominating 34-0 win over Kyle Mitchum in the championship match.
“A lot of the guys took to it with a real open mind,” chapter President Ben Kacsandi said. “And with coach Daniels, they all know about he and his kidney cancer and that’s very close to our hearts. So I think this was a really good opportunity for the guys to come out, support it, talk to family and friends and get as many people as we can out here.”
Executive director Scott Shirley, who played wide receiver at Penn State from 1999-2003, also was on hand for the event. Shirley started the Lift for Life event at his alma mater in 2003 after his father, Don, was diagnosed with kidney cancer. Don passed away from the disease in 2005.
“What makes this unique is that it’s set up as a student organization and run by current football student-athletes,” Shirley said. “There are a lot of benefits from them going out, organizing and running a chapter of Uplifting Athletes. They can take things they do everyday and turn it into an event to raise awareness.”
Uplifting Athletes was started at Ohio State by former Buckeye Matt Daniels (’08), whose father, quarterbacks coach Joe Daniels, is currently battling kidney cancer. Ohio State joins Penn State, Maryland, Florida and Colgate in the Uplifting Athletes program.
“The more schools we can get lined up and involved is really the direction we’re trying to go,” Shirley said.
Chapter Vice President Kurt Coleman, whose father defeated a rare type of breast cancer a year ago, also played a large role in organizing the event.
“This is nice to see such a great turnout,” Coleman said. “Matt did a great job getting all this set up and organized. I’m watching him closely because next year I’m taking over and serving as president. I hope I can do half as good a job as he has.”
“It’s humbling for me, personally, to see all the guys here,” Matt Daniels said. “The goal, really, is to just come out, have fun and raise awareness. But at the same time, this shows they care and it really means a lot.”
About Uplifting Athletes
Uplifting Athletes is a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to align college football with rare diseases to raise them as a national priority. University chapters are operated by current football student-athletes and raise funds and awareness for a rare disease relevant to their team. For more information about Uplifting Athletes please visit www.upliftingathletes.org.
