March 4th, 2015 | cancerfit
Find out how to sign up your team!
Commitment expected of the participating team:
The commitment basically involves being a gracious host, offering camaraderie and support to your new teammate. After you are matched with a child you will hold a “Draft Day” where the child and family come to your campus or facilities, and you will welcome them as part of your team (a “meet and greet” event that typically last for 30 minutes). Draft Day is also a time for contact information to be shared between the child’s parents and the teammates and as well as discussion on the variety of ways they can support one another over the course of the sport season. Participants for Draft Day include the child and his or her family, Head Coach, Athletes, and possibly the Athletic Director, Cheer/Spirit Team, and/or Team Mascot.
Following the Draft Day event, the typical experience involves:
the child attending various practices, games or other team based activities
the child receiving athletic apparel/gear from the team
the child being introduced before one of the home games
hosting a fundraising event.
Team Mentor:
Each team will assign a team representative (MVP Sports Agent). This person will serve as a mentor for the child while also being assigned to maintain contact with the child and family and helping to coordinate fundraising events. Commonly, as the relationship grows, the MVP Sports Agent along with their teammates will often determine other ways that the team and the child can support one another. Although there aren’t stringent requirements, some such activities may include:
Keeping in touch with the child via email, texting, or social media.
Calling the child after a particularly difficult treatment or important test result.
Coordinating player visits to the see the child at their home, school or hospital.
Supporting the child at his or her own athletic contest, music or drama performances.
Fundraising Event:
Part of the special relationship created between the team and child provides an excellent opportunity for community service and cancer advocacy. As the athletes will gain firsthand knowledge regarding elements of pediatric cancer, it treatment and effects they can share their experience by becoming ambassadors for pediatric cancer in their community. This can be done by hosting a special event sometime during the sports season that will raise awareness for childhood cancer and generate financial support for the pediatric cancer programs offered by Cancer Fit Inc. such as the MVP Sports Draft and the Play Fit Stay Fit Exercise Assistance Scholarship. Special Event ideas include:
5k Race with Student Athletes/Student Body/Faculity
Allocating a home game as Pediatric Cancer Day in honor of child
Selling promotional apparel on behalf of Cancer Fit Inc.
Car Wash
Bake Sale
Hair Shave Event
Sports related event (Home-run derby, jog-a-thon, dunk contest, special team workout challenges)