On a Saturday in late January, Poly Prep basketball players traveled to the Ethical Culture Fieldston School not only to compete, but to participate in a tradition rooted in advocacy. Across gyms and schools, from the Ivy-Prep League to New York-area independent schools, teams compete in a tournament-style format for the Coaches vs. Cancer showcase, an athletic event that blends competition with cancer awareness and fundraising.
While it appears on the schedule as just a game, coaches and administrators say it represents a tradition of using basketball as a platform to help a larger cause.
The event is part of the National Coaches vs. Cancer initiative, founded in 1993 through a partnership between the American Cancer Society and the National Association of Basketball Coaches. The program was created to use basketball’s visibility to raise funds for cancer research, promote awareness, and advocate for increased federal funding, according to the American Cancer Society.
Former Associate Athletic Director at Horace Mann, Ray Barile, created the Coaches vs. Cancer event for the Ivy-Prep League and New York-area independent schools, which was inspired by his grandmother’s cancer diagnosis, according to a 2024 article in The Fieldston News. It began at Manhattan College and later transitioned to Fieldston. Since its founding, it has helped generate millions of dollars for cancer-related research and support nationwide.
Poly participates in the showcase as part of its Ivy League competition schedule. Director of Athletics and Chair of Physical Education Peter Soto said the event has remained largely consistent in its structure, although some logistics have evolved over time. In recent years, boys and girls have competed on the same day at Fieldston, using separate gyms to accommodate the volume of teams and games.
“It’s been a long-standing Ivy League tradition to raise money to fight cancer,” said Soto, who participated in the event when he was a student-athlete at Poly. “We get the whole league together to face other teams from across the city to help support and raise awareness.”
Many Poly staff recall the event, including Physical Education Faculty, Director of Sports Information Bill McNally. McNally and Soto recalled a full-day showcase held at Fieldston, where students would watch one another play and interact across schools.
“It is a real community builder,” Soto stated. It was like basketball in a new setting for him; he would see new players and play against his club basketball teammates. What held strong was that they were all brought together to raise money for a shared cause.
On game day, Girls’ Basketball Head Coach and Upper School Dean Cherkira Lashley explained that announcers introduce the teams and explain the purpose of the event before tip-off. Then, the tournament-style games commence.
Lashley said that Poly contributes to the fundraiser through donations raised within the school community and by purchasing advertisements in the Coaches vs. Cancer journal, which includes photos and blurbs about participating teams.
Lashley added that the showcase also offers athletes an opportunity to engage in competition that extends beyond winning and losing.
“It’s good for teams to get behind a good cause and be part of something mission-driven,” Lashley stated. “Any ethical, civic engagement opportunity for kids that you can do as a community is a positive thing.”
The emotional significance behind the event remains strong for all involved.
“I remember Lola making a huge 3-point shot and everyone went crazy,” stated Varsity Girls’ Basketball Team Player Sienna Klauss ’26. “It made me realize how moments like that bring people together and want to support the cause behind these games.”
Former Boys’ Basketball Captain Jack Kolz ’24 echoed that sentiment. “It was a great experience to play for something more than basketball,” he told The Polygon in 2024.
Soto explained that Coaches vs. Cancer continues to resonate because of the disease’s widespread impact.
“My older sister passed away with cancer seven years ago, and we had a player on the team who had a close relative who was also diagnosed with cancer. It’s really a close-to-home disease, so to be able to play for that cause and contribute to that cause can be really beautiful,” said Lashley.
“I think cancer has affected all of us in one way or another,” said Soto. “When you have the ability to help raise awareness and support people doing meaningful work, it’s important to do so.”
As Poly recently competed in the game on January 24, the showcase remains a reminder that athletics can connect competition with community and advocacy.
“At Poly, we have the ability to help,” said Soto. “We should take advantage of that opportunity.”
