Need a way to blow off some steam amid finals stress, but want it to count for something? On Sunday, May 3, the Brandeis men’s soccer team will host their third annual Kickin’ Cancer soccer tournament.
The men’s soccer team started the event three years ago after seeing its success at other schools. The players feel that cancer is the one thing that almost all of them have been either directly or indirectly affected by. “We think it is important that we do our part in eradicating this disease once and for all,” commented Chris Bradley ’16, who is helping to run the event. Tyler Savonen ’15 added “It is important that we as a student body, athletes and non-athletes, come together and collaborate in the fight against cancer.”
However, this event is not just a soccer tournament: “We would like to emphasize that it is first and foremost a charitable event targeted at fundraising for Relay for Life,” Bradley stated. 100 percent of the proceeds from this tournament will go to Relay for Life, an international organization that sets up all-night events where participants walk or run to earn money for Cancer research.
For Chris Bradley the tournament means an opportunity to give back as well as get to know a larger portion of the Brandeis community. “We all have experienced personal problems and family tragedies and I think that it’s beneficial to know that other people have gone through the same thing and it helps to create a collective effort in doing something meaningful. Also, this gives some of us athletes an opportunity to meet other students (particularly non-athletes) and engage in a fun-spirited and positive environment for three or so hours … which is nice,” commented Bradley.
As Kickin’ Cancer is in its third year, the team hopes to surpass previous years’ success. The first two years saw over $400 raised with 90-100 participants. The team hopes to see those numbers grow. “Our goal is to exceed the amount of participants and funds raised from last year’s event while also sustaining a fun environment where everybody can have a great time for a good cause. Also, we would like to continue to raise awareness of our event possibly further than our school. We really want to cement this as an annual event that can be improved on each year,” Savonen and Bradley stated.
The event will take place at 7 p.m. on Gordon Field under the lights and all students are invited to partake in the event. Students can enter a team by emailing Tyler Savonen at tysavonen@aol.com with a list of participants and a team name. The entry fee is $5 per person; however students can donate additional funds or donate on their own at www.relayforlife.org. If you wish to enter a team parameters include: one current varsity men’s soccer player, two current varsity women’s soccer players, one alumni varsity soccer player (current seniors included) and/or one varsity soccer player from another college.
The Brandeis men’s soccer team cannot wait for their Kickin’ Cancer event May 3 at 7 p.m. “The combination of fundraising and a sport we love (soccer) seemed like the perfect way to create both a meaningful and fun environment for everyone to be a part of,” added Bradley. Please show your support and join the men’s soccer team in their efforts to combat cancer.
