I don’t know why, but one of the items included in today’s “NACDA Daily Review” e-mail containing links to stories in the world of collegiate athletics caught my eye, and I’m glad it did.
I was directed to a story on the
Uplifting Athletes web site that reported in part:
“The Colgate Chapter of Uplifting Athletes has made it a mission to help a coach battling for his life. The chapter will hold its 4th annual Lift For Life on Wednesday, March 23, 2011 and this year the team will raise money for Ependymoma, a rare type of brain or spinal cord tumor, in honor of Offensive Line Coach Casey Vogt.”
Casey Vogt.
The same Casey Vogt who was a football student athlete and graduate assistant at Slippery Rock?
Yep, the same guy we all came to love and respect as a member of the Green and White.
The article went on to say “Coach Vogt is currently surviving Ependymoma, a rare disease that can affect adults and children.”
Wow! Talk about the proverbial punch to the gut. Once I recovered, I read on.
“The team has made it its mission to do what they can to bring awareness to the rare disease and to let Vogt know how much they appreciate what he does for them as student-athletes,” the story said.
“Vogt often reminds his team of the quote, ‘If it is to be, it is up to me,’ the story added.
Taking that attitude to heart, Colgate student athletes will hold a “fun-to-watch strength and conditioning fundraiser … at Sanford Field House at 7:30 p.m.”
And, let me tell you, when this group puts its mind to something, good things happen. Last year, the team raised more than $8,600 for neuroblastoma. This year, the team hopes to raise $10,000 for Ependymoma research.
To help with the cause dedicated to Vogt, Colgate alumnus and Green Bay Packers President Mark Murphy has donated a Clay Matthews signed jersey and a signed helmet from Greg Jennings to raffle off.
Donations can be made online by
clicking here.
Click here to read the full story on Colgate’s Lift For Life event.
Click here to send get-well wishes to Vogt.
Vogt is set to begin his fourth season as Colgate’s offensive line coach and recruiting coordinator after serving two seasons as tight ends coach and assistant offensive line coach at Youngstown State. Prior to that, he served two seasons as offensive line coach and recruiting coordinator at Gannon University in Erie and one season as a graduate assistant offensive coach at Tulane University.
Before that, he was one of us and, to borrow a phrase used often by Rock Head Football Coach George Mihalik, “Once you wear the Green and White, you are always part of the Green and White.”
A 2000 graduate of Slippery Rock, he began his coaching career as a Rock graduate assistant offensive line coach for two seasons.
The most poignant part of the story was the final sentence: “He and his wife, Amber are the parents of a son, Parker (1).”
I urge all Rock alumni and friends to keep Casey and his family in their thoughts and prayers and, if you see fit, make a donation to the fundraiser being held in his honor.
ROCK PRIDE!
Bob McComas
Sports Information Director
