Hopkins, MN – The HEADstrong Lacrosse Club of Minnesota is set to host the 2nd Annual Face-Off for Blood Cancer Invitational, October 11-12th at The Blake School in Hopkins, MN. The event will advance the mission of the HEADstrong Foundation™ while raising funds to support families affected by the disease from the Upper Midwest. The event will be played in conjunction with HF’s marquee event The Nicholas Colleluori Classic happening over 1,200 miles away in Folsom, PA.
This year, 14 of the top programs from the area will compete including:
Benilde-St. Margaret’s, Blake, Bloomington Jefferson, Champlin Park, Chanhassen, Cretin-Derham Hall, Duluth Tower Jaxx, East Ridge, Eden Prairie, Lakeville South, Minnetonka, Pink Polar Bears (True Canada), Prior Lake, and Woodbury.
Sportsmanship is at the heart of this special event. After each game, teams will select a player from the opposing team who best exemplifies the characteristics of HF™ founder Nicholas Colleluori on the playing field. Selected players will be presented with a HF™ lime green chinstrap during a ceremony at the conclusion of their games.
The Face-Off for Blood Cancer Invitational was the brain child of HLC Minnesota Program Director Pat Donaghy who is the former head coach of Cretin-Derham Hall and Frank Clark who is the boy’s lacrosse coach of The Blake School. But at the heart of the event is Nadine Washuta, a mother who has embraced the HF ™mission and has been instrumental in organizing the event. This past summer one of Nadine’s son’s was diagnosed with cancer and the family truly understands the important role that HF™ has in the cancer community.
“This is a very special event and we are very excited to be able to share the HEADstrong mission with the lacrosse community in the Upper Midwest. There are so many valuable lessons taught through this single event and we are honored to do our part to help cancer patients and their families. This event is just one way that we are assuring families devastated by this disease that they are not fighting alone,” says Pat Donaghy, HLCMN Director.
“On behalf of the HEADstrong Foundation and those devastated by cancer we wish to extend our sincere appreciation to the organizers, the teams, the officials, the sponsors and supporters who have united to be part of the 2nd Annual Face-Off for Blood Cancer Invitational this weekend. We are so honored to know that over 1,200 miles away from our headquarters in Holmes, PA, that athletes are finding hope in our Nick’s story and being inspired to make a difference. The funds raised through this event will be instrumental in helping to financially assist cancer patients and families from the Upper Midwest. ” says Cheryl Colleluori HF President and Nick’s Mom
Click here for more information on the 2nd Annual Face-Off For Blood Cancer Invitational or please visit www.HEADstrong.org to learn more about how HEADstrong is changing the game for patients and families devastated by cancer.
