On Saturday, Sept. 7, the Hamilton College men’s soccer team laced up to fight pediatric cancer for the third straight year. A tradition that began in 2017, the men’s soccer team annually collaborated with the Go4theGoalFoundation to raise money to help children and their families in the local community fighting pediatric cancer.
The Go4theGoalFoundation’s mission states: “Our unwavering mission is to improve the lives of children battling cancer by providing financial support, developing and implementing unique hospital programs, funding innovative research, and granting personal wishes. Through our first hand experience with pediatric cancer and our medical background, Go4theGoal provides the best practices to patients, their families, and the hospitals and staff that care for them.”
The soccer team raised $15,000 for the Foundation during the 2017 season and $17,000 during the 2018 season.
For this year’s charity game, the Continentals hosted the Bates College Bobcats for their 2019 NESCAC opener. Both the Continentals and the Bobcats wore gold laces in their cleats in honor of the Go4theGoalFoundation in recognition of all the children fighting pediatric cancer.
The game started off with a scoreless first half. In the 17th minute of the second half, Sam Webber ’23 drew a foul around midfield, and Jack Sheehan ’21 took the subsequent free kick for the Continentals. Sheehan sent the ball towards the Bobcats goal, bending it around several of the Bobcats’ defenders before it reached the foot of Aidan Wood ’20. Wood controlled the ball and launched it into the Bobcats’ goal for his first goal of the season and 11th goal of his Hamilton career.
Six minutes later, in the 68th minute, Bates was able to rally back and tie the score. The tying goal was a momentum-changer in the game. Two minutes later, the Bobcats played aggressive offense and scored two more goals in the span of less than one minute, all but sealing a victory. The remainder of the game was scoreless, and the Bobcats came away with a 3–1 win.
Although the Continentals did not win the game, they say the cause they are supporting is far more important. So far in the 2019 season, the team has raised a little over $14,000 for children and their families battling cancer in the local community. This brings the soccer team’s career total for the Go4theGoalFoundation to over $46,000 in three years. Donations are still being accepted and can be made through the Hamilton College Athletics website.
The Continentals are back home at Love Field this Saturday, Sept. 14, for a NESCAC conference game against the Amherst College Mammoths.
