Coach-athletes bond in cancer fight Sports - Abbeyfeale Golf Club Abbeyfeale Coach-athletes bond in cancer fight Sports Facebook Twitter WhatsApp Telegram ANDOVER TOWNSHIP — The lessons learned from perseverance in the dark times of life are resonating with Pymatuning Valley Youth Football head freshman coach Mark Gray and his athletes. Gray, a 2010 graduate of Lakeside High School, was diagnosed with liver cancer in mid-June after suffering severe abdominal pain and heading to the emergency room and then rushed to Cleveland Metro Health Hospital. He had emergency surgery on June 13 and was not given a good chance of survival. “They told my parents and wife that I wouldn’t make it,” Gray said. After another surgery, June 16, and a lengthy stay in the hospital, Gray returned home but could barely walk and had to teach himself how to perform even the smallest task. He has undergone 22 blood transfusions. When youth football started, Gray was still recovering from the loss of 60 pounds and walking was still a challenge; but he decided to continue to coach. Tim Campbell, the president of the Pymatuning organization and vice president of the Freeway Youth Football League, said he told Gray to take care of himself first and the football would take care of itself. Gray said he didn’t miss a practice and the athletes helped immensely in his recovery process. Campbell agreed. After the surgery, it appeared Gray’s health was looking good but some cancer remains and Gray is scheduled to undergo immunotherapy with tests every two to three months to determine the cancer’s state. On the football field, 5 1/2 to 7-year old players started to gel. Gray said the team did not win a game last year, but finished the regular season this year with a record of 4-1-1. The Pymatuning Valley team earned a spot in the Super Bowl alongside the Lakeside squad. The two teams met in a huge game in the regular season and tied. Gray was familiar with the coaching staff on the other side of the ball as head coach Rashaad Bell and assistant Isaac Moore attended Lakeside at the same time. Gray said he met Moore on the youth football fields of Ashtabula when he was 7 years old and the two became best friends. Moore and Gray said they joked about facing each other in the Super Bowl and it happened. “It was special,” Moore said. Lakeside came out on top Saturday evening 27-13. Gray said three turnovers were the killer. Bell said his team faced a lot of adversity during the year, but the athletes worked hard to meet their goals. He said he emphasized the importance of all 11 players not just the running backs or quarterbacks. “It was an honor to be able to coach them,” he said. Gray said he felt the same way and was grateful for how his players motivated him in his recovery and how his story helped turn the team’s fortunes around. Gray also credited the community for backing him, and his team, including a pep rally held Friday at the Pymatuning Valley Elementary School. The team motto became “Never out of the fight” which Gray coined when he told the players about what had happened to him and how proceeding each day was the next step in the fight. The league also sponsored a fundraiser to help defray the transportation costs he must pay driving back and forth to Cleveland. On Saturday, they sold arm bracelets with the motto in Gray’s honor. . Related Facebook Twitter WhatsApp Telegram Leave a Reply Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked * Advertisement Recent Posts 3 seconds ago Coach-athletes bond in cancer fight Sports 1 min ago “ These are grown a** men” 2 mins ago Women Divers Hall Of Fame Welcomes Three New Inductees 3 mins ago Olympic champion Hayley Lewis announced as Mental Health Ambassador 4 mins ago The most dangerous roads in the UK for cyclists and pedestrians Back to top button Abbeyfeale Golf Club