OTTAWA (CIS) – The CIS Women's Basketball Coaches Association proudly announced Friday its fundraising initiative to raise money for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation - and other related charities - is up and running for a seventh straight year.
The Shoot for the Cure campaign has proven an overwhelming success since it was launched in the fall of 2007 with over $600,000 in donations. Last season, for the second year in a row, all CIS women's basketball schools participated in the program.
At the 2013 CIS championship in Regina, last March, the WBCA presented a cheque for $90,450.62 to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, while an additional $20,103.34 was amassed by universities that elected to donate their fundraised money to local or provincial organizations, bringing the 2012-13 Shoot for the Cure overall total to $110,553.96.
In the first five years of the initiative, the WBCA had presented cheques of $50,320.87, $81,512.96, $94,650.96, $104,763.53 and $98,706.92 to the CBCF, with another $82,439.34 going to local organizations.
Once again this year, CIS schools will raise money through regular season games, non-conference matches, tournaments and special events.
The University of Winnipeg Wesmen kicked off the '13-14 activities on September 20 with a fundraising dinner and will be looking for more donations on Saturday night when they host crosstown rival Manitoba for a pre-season contest. Bishop's and Dalhousie are holding Shoot for the Cure events next weekend.
"We are very excited to announce the return of Shoot for the Cure. This truly is one of the highlights of the year for all of us," says Jeff Speedy, University of New Brunswick head coach and Shoot for the Cure project manager. "Last season we had every CIS women's basketball team across the country participate for the second year in a row and we hope to achieve that goal again this year. The student-athletes, coaches, volunteers and athletic departments across CIS are really embracing this initiative and it is great to be a part of something so special."
The 2013-14 Shoot for the Cure schedule is currently comprised of 50 events on 43 campuses. More events will be announced over the next few weeks. A total of 45 universities compete in CIS women's basketball.
The fundraising initiative was the brainchild of Rod Gilpin, the long-time bench boss of the Bishop's women's program now in his sixth season as head coach of the Gaiters' men's team.
SHOOT FOR THE CURE YEAR-BY-YEAR DONATIONS:
2012-2013: $110,553.96 ($90,450.62 to CBCF)
2011-2012: $121,248.70 ($98,706.92 to CBCF)
2010-2011: $143,596.25 ($104,763.53 to CBCF)
2009-2010: $104,715.80 ($94,650.96 to CBCF)
2008-2009: $92,512.96 ($81,512.96 to CBCF)
2007-2008: $50,320.87 ($50,320.87 to CBFC)
TOTAL: $622,948.54 ($520,405.86 to CBCF)
SHOOT FOR THE CURE 2013-2014 SCHEDULE:
Date – Time (all times local) - Host - Event
September
20 - Winnipeg Bud The Spud Night Fundraising Dinner
October
12 18:15 Winnipeg Exhibition vs. Manitoba
18-20 - Bishop's Nike Shoot For The Cure Tournament
19 20:00 Dalhousie Exhibition vs. UQAM (Subway Centennial Tournament)
25-27 - Manitoba Bison Shoot For The Cure Tournament
November
1 18:00 Thompson Rivers Regular season vs. Saskatchewan
9 17:00 UBC Regular season vs. Trinity Western
10 13:00 Western Regular season vs. York
15 18:15 Regina Regular season vs. Saskatchewan
16 17:00 Regina Regular season vs. Saskatchewan
16 17:00 Trinity Western Regular season vs. UNBC
16 18:00 Laurier Regular season vs. York
16 18:00 Waterloo Regular season vs. Queen's
23 18:15 Saskatchewan Regular season vs. Fraser Valley
January
8 18:00 Algoma Regular season vs. Laurentian (women)
8 20:00 Algoma Regular season vs. Laurentian (men)
10 18:00 Concordia Regular season vs. UQAM (women)
10 20:00 Concordia Regular season vs. UQAM (men)
11 17:00 Mount Royal Regular season vs. Calgary
11 18:00 York Regular season vs. Ryerson
11 18:00 Queen's Regular season vs. Toronto
11 18:00 UNBC Regular season vs. Lethbridge
17 18:00 Acadia Regular season vs. UPEI
17 18:00 Calgary Regular season vs. Saskatchewan
18 13:00 Windsor Regular season vs. Brock
18 17:00 Calgary Regular season vs. Saskatchewan
18 17:00 Lethbridge Regular season vs. Alberta
18 17:00 UBCO Regular season vs. Trinity Western
18 18:00 Memorial Regular season vs. UNB
18 18:00 Acadia Regular season vs. UPEI
18 18:00 Laurentian Regular season vs. York
24-26 - Toronto Think Pink Weekend
24 18:00 Saint Mary's Regular season vs. Dalhousie
24 18:00 Alberta Regular season vs. Calgary
25 13:00 McMaster Regular season vs. Western
25 17:00 Laval Regular season vs. Bishop's
25 17:00 Alberta Regular season vs. Calgary
25 18:00 McGill Regular season vs. Concordia
31 18:00 UNB Regular season vs. Acadia
February
1 13:00 UNB Regular season vs. Acadia
1 17:00 UQAM Regular season vs. Laval
1 17:00 Fraser Valley Regular season vs. Brandon
1 18:00 Lakehead Regular season vs. McMaster
7 18:00 Cape Breton Regular season vs. UNB
7 18:00 Brandon Regular season vs. Lethbridge
8 15:00 UPEI Regular season vs. Saint Mary's
8 17:00 Brandon Regular season vs. Lethbridge
8 18:00 StFX Regular season vs. UNB
14 18:00 Ottawa Regular season vs. Laurentian
14 18:00 Ryerson Regular season vs. York
14 18:00 Carleton Regular season vs. Algoma
14 18:00 Victoria Regular season vs. UBC (women)
14 20:00 Victoria Regular season vs. UBC (men)
Dates to be confirmed:
Brock
Guelph