Touchdowns Against Cancer begins fourth season

Video: Touchdowns Against Cancer

Any coach at any level of every sport can never overstate the case: Every great team needs great leaders.

The same could be said for the MaxPreps 2019 Touchdown Against Cancer campaign to drive out childhood cancer.

Starting its fourth season, TAC, powered by Pledge It, has raised nearly $500,000 to benefit cancer research for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn.

High school football teams throughout the country raise awareness and money to fight childhood cancer by scoring touchdowns during the month of September, which is national Pediatric Cancer Awareness month.

Last season, the Lynx from Lausanne Collegiate (Memphis, Tenn.) raised a record $21,267 by scoring 26 touchdowns and securing dozens of pledges throughout their community.

GET INVOLVED: Touchdowns Against Cancer 2019 is live!

It took a pair of then senior players from the team, Isaac Weiss and Eric Gray, to truly get the word out and get their teammates involved. According to the school's website, both dedicated their seasons to raising money for the research hospital.

"Cancer has touched all of our lives in some way, and I want to make each point that I score count toward something bigger than a win," Weiss said. "St. Jude is an incredible, world-class institution in Memphis that treats families with the latest cancer therapies regardless of their ability to pay."

The efforts of Weiss and Gray helped propel Lausanne to the top of the TAC National leader board and win its own national crown.

Two other schools — Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills, Calif.) and Olmsted Falls (Ohio) — each earned first-team All-American status by raising more than $5,000. And three other teams earned second-team All-American honors by raising more than $2,500: El Camino Real (Woodland Hills, Calif.), Chopticon (Morganza, Md.) and Hyde Park (Austin, Texas). Besides recognizing teams for their efforts, TAC wants to salute the individuals and captains like Gray and Weiss, by creating a student leader boards in 2019.

"It's a team game, but every great one needs great players and leaders," said John Stockett, senior director of business and marketing for MaxPreps. "It's important they be recognized, and displaying their efforts and donations on a leader board is way to show it."

Stockett, MaxPreps and St. Jude hope players and coaches are confident and hopeful that the fourth year of TAC will be the biggest yet.

"We could not be more proud of our participation with Pledge it in the creation and execution of Touchdowns Against Cancer," MaxPreps President and Founder Andy Beal said. "In many respects, it is the best thing MaxPreps does all year."

Football coaches across America over the years have echoed Beal's sentiments about their involvement.

"This is a vitally important campaign — for the kids and their families," said El Camino Real coach Jeff Falgien.

TAC touches home for some football programs more than others.

Irvine (Calif.) coach Erik Terry said his team lost a former player to lung cancer. "He was only 19," Terry said. "We see this is a great cause and way to honor his memory."

Said Whittier Christian athletic director Rolland Esslinger: "For our boys and families and everybody to look beyond football into something more important in life to help others, this was perfect. It's a great cause."

Chopticon raised more than $12,000 to win the 2017 TAC national crown.

"We use Touchdowns Against Cancer to motivate our young men on and off the field," Chopticon assistant coach Mike Gallo said. "I would highly suggest any team or coach to join."