(Story Courtesy of Austin and Centre College Websites)
SHERMAN, Texas - This Friday, October 7 the Austin College men’s soccer team will be hosting the fifth and final Komen Game against Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference rival Centre College at 4:00 p.m.
Beginning in 2007, Austin College men’s soccer coach Mark Hudson, a former standout player and assistant coach at Centre, and Centre head coach Jeb Burch have led their teams in a friendly wager to see which team can raise the most money for the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation. To date, the teams have combined to raise over $28,000 for this incredible cause.
During the summer of 2007, rising Centre senior Robby Crump's mother Sue Hauck was fighting breat cancer. Sadly, she lost her life to the disease as the team reported to preseason camp that August. Hudson shared a similar experience, as longtime family friend Elizabeth Walter also lost her life to breast cancer in 2007.
With the two coaches and friends having seen firsthand the tragedy of breast cancer, they decided to join forces with Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Susan G. Komen for the Cure is the larges grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists working together to save lives, empower people, ensure quality care for all, and energize science to find the cures for breast cancer.
"Breast cancer is a disease that will affect each of my players, directly or indirectly, in their lifetimes," said Hudson. "This is a cause that is very easy for us to get behind and one of the more important events the team takes part in. Add the friendly competition with Centre and it really makes for a special event."
The inaugural Komen Game between Austin College and Centre took place on October 27, 2007, in Danville, Ky. with the two teams raising more than $5,700 for the Komen Foundation in the names of Hauck and Walter. The game itself provided an incredible Hollywood-ending, as Crump, who had never scored a goal in his career, hit the golden goal five minutes into overtime.
The following season Komen Game II came to Sherman, where the teams again combined to raise more than $5,200 for the Komen Foundation. The Colonels went on to win the match 1-0. Last season, the two teams returned to Danville for Komen Game III, with Centre again winnings 3-1. Most importantly, however, the 'Roos and Colonels combined to raise an incredible $9,200 for breast cancer awareness.
After Centre took the first three matches, the ‘Roos got their first Komen Game victory last season with a 3-1 decision in Sherman. With Centre leaving the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference after this season, this year’s Komen Game will be the last between the two schools.
Prior to the game, a ceremony will take place in which the two
teams will present their checks to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. The
Komen Foundation is the nation’s largest grassroots network
of breast cancer survivors and activists working together to save
lives, empower people and energize science to find the cures for
breast cancer.
For more information on this outstanding event, please download
the PDF linked below.
