Ladyjacks Participate in Chillin 4 Charity
7/10/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
July 10, 2014
NACOGDOCHES, Texas – A new fundraising effort has hit the women’s basketball community this summer. Coaches across the nation are cooling off from the heat by participating in Chillin 4 Charity while raising money for breast cancer research and awareness for the Kay Yow Foundation.
Stephen F. Austin Head Coach Brandon Schneider and members of his staff recently joined the Chillin 4 Charity movement and were doused with buckets of ice cold water to raise money for the cause.
“Our players and staff are very honored to have participated in Chillin 4 Charity,” Schneider said. “Coach Niya Butts and her program at Arizona is to be commended for starting what has been a tremendous campaign for all involved.”
The Chillin 4 Charity event spread like wildfire with coaches across the nation challenging other head coaches and assistant coaches to take part in the event. Coaches from the Southland Conference, Big 12 Conference, Pac-12, SEC and the Northeastern 10 participated just to name a few.
Chillin 4 Charity impacted programs from NCAA Division I to Division III and more all in the name of raising money for cancer research.
Head coaches who accepted the challenge and elected to be doused with ice water would have a $50 donation made in their name by the coach who challenged them to participate. Head coaches who were called out and did not take the ice bath would have to donate $250 in their own name. The terms for assistant coaches are similar with dollar amounts set at $25 and $100.
Schneider was joined by assistant coach Jamila Ganter in accepting the challenge for SFA and received their ice bath in front of the Stephen F. Austin statue on campus.
In a video posted online SFA’s Schneider announced his acceptance of a challenge from McNeese State head coach Brooks Donald-Williams and then challenged Texas Tech head coach Candi Whitaker, Long Island’s Gail Striegler, Vic Schaefer of Mississippi State and South Florida’s Jose Fernandez.
Ganter accepted her challenge from Aqua Franklin of Mississippi State, a teammate of hers at Texas A&M. She also challenged assistant coaches from Texas-Arlington, Arkansas and Mississippi State to participate in the event.
Schneider also dedicated their acceptance to a special Ladyjacks fan.
Becky Hamilton is one of the program’s top supporters and is fighting her own battle with breast cancer.
“Becky is absolutely the toughest member of the Ladyjack family. She’s been a loyal fan of our program since 1978,” Schneider said. “This past September Becky was diagnosed with breast cancer and I’m proud to announce Becky has just completed her final rounds of chemo and radiation. Becky is up 20 with two minutes to go, and we fully expect her to beat the hell out of cancer.”
Shortly after Schneider and Ganter accepted their challenge, two more members of the Ladyjacks staff were called out by other coaches to participate in Chillin 4 Charity. Assistant head coach Andy Majors and assistant coach Jodi Greve took part at the lazy river at the student recreation center.
Majors challenged coaches at McNeese State, Pittsburg State and Missouri State while Greve called out members of the coaching staffs at Vermont, Arkansas State and Santa Clara.
The reach of this movement was nationwide and is still going with head coaches and assistant coaches donating money to charity and showing the unity and support the women’s basketball community has in supporting breast cancer research and awareness. A search for Chillin 4 Charity on YouTube brings more than 38,000 results.
