ALS Association to Debut Athletes vs. ALS Initiative at San Diego State Aztecs Basketball Game With a Goal to Raise $12,414

In hopes of spreading awareness and partnering with organizations who support their mission and purpose to find a cure for ALS, the ALS Association will debut the Athletes vs. ALS initiative at the San Diego State Aztecs basketball game vs the Kennesaw State Owls on December 12. The game will tip-off at 7PM at Viejas Arena, on the campus of San Diego State University.

The Athletes vs. ALS initiative will raise awareness for ALS partnering with the sports communities in San Diego and around the US in different ways. At the Aztecs game, the team will debut the Athletes vs. ALS t-shirts during their warmups. The coaches will be wearing ALS pins. There will also be live interviews during the game from head basketball Coach Steve Fisher, as well as donation opportunities during the telecast. Fisher’s oldest son, Mark, was diagnosed with ALS in 2011.

Fisher is one of the most celebrated sports coaches in history, with many accolades over his four-decade coaching career. During his 18 years of coaching at SDSU, Fisher led the Aztecs to a Mountain West record of 10 conference titles, eight NCAA tournaments and multiple post-season appearances. He also was a two-time national coach of the year and received the John R. Wooden Legends of Coaching Award in 2015.

Coach Steve Fisher knows how to build winning teams. He also knows it will take a team effort to make ALS a livable disease. “The winning formula is support. We need awareness and funding,” said Fisher, “I’m confident we are making progress. Your support will help us win in the fight against ALS.”

The ALS Association’s purpose is to discover treatments and a cure for ALS, to serve, advocate for, and empower people affected by ALS to live their lives to the fullest. ALS, or more commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. Every 90 minutes, someone is diagnosed with ALS and every 90 minutes, someone loses their battle to this fatal disease.

“Coach Fisher is a true champion on the court and in the ALS community,” said Steve Becvar, Vice President of Sports & Entertainment for the ALS Association. “The Kennesaw State home game will shed light on ALS. We’re hopeful to raise $12,414 in support of Coach Mark’s team, Aztecs Fighting ALS. We are grateful to Coach Fisher as well as San Diego State University athletics for providing this opportunity.”

Viejas Arena seats 12,414, thus the goal to raise $12,414. The initiative welcomes sports organizations that provide advocacy, awareness and support for ALS. The association is looking to partner with other sports organizations across the US to help spread awareness for ALS.

To donate to Coach Mark’s team, Aztecs Fighting ALS, please click here. For more information on ALS, please visit https://www.als.org

The ALS Association’s purpose is to discover treatments and a cure for ALS, and to serve, advocate for, and empower people affected by ALS to live their lives to the fullest. ALS, or more commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. ALS usually strikes people between the ages of 40 and 70, and approximately 20,000 people in the U.S. have the disease at any given time.

Although there is not yet a cure or treatment that cures ALS, scientists that are funded through the ALS Association research program have made significant progress in understanding what causes ALS. The symptoms of ALS usually start with progressive loss of muscle control, and gradual loss of the ability to speak, swallow, walk, grasp objects, move, and breathe. For more information, please visit https://www.als.org/.