Click Here for Cheering Section Archives

Cheering Section

This page is dedicated to our present College Scholarship Winner

We consider each and every one of them Ambassadors for our

Athletes Kickin' Cancer program

Congratulations
Corey Myers

2010
Champion Of Life
College Scholarship Award Winner

Varsity Football Player for Fort LeBoeuf High School - Waterford, Pennsylvania
Corey will play Football and Volleyball for Thiel College this Fall

Corey played Football and Volleyball both for High School and
was Captain of his Volleyball team his senior year.

Corey's letter of nomination from Coach John Campbell

******************

Corey Myers played football six years in our football program.  Corey was a two year starter for Fort LeBoeuf High School as a wide receiver and defensive back.  During the 2008 football season Corey led the team in interceptions as a junior.  Corey was always the quiet team leader.  He led by actions more than in words.  He would push himself in the weight room during the off-season and be a role model for the younger players in our program.  During the season, Corey was an unselfish wide receiver who took his role of blocking very seriously.  Corey is pointed out often during film study as an example of how a receiver should be blocking down field.  Coaches and players, alike, respect Corey for his hard work and desire to help the team. Our team rallied around each other because of how Corey battled his cancer.

                  Corey was a team leader in the off-season both in the weight room and on the field.  Corey would help coach the junior high players in the weight room.  Corey loved playing basketball with his coaches and team mates after our weightlifting.  He would make sure that all the players, including the lineman and younger players felt like they belonged on the court.  Corey had the ability and leadership skills to make the games enjoyable for all players.  During our summer workouts, Corey would arrive early and stay late to make sure he and our quarterbacks were comfortable with our passing game.  The other receivers would see this and follow his actions.  Corey is one of the main reasons our passing game had a huge, positive, turn around his senior season.

                  Corey has made a profound impact on me as the Head Football Coach.  Corey demonstrated all the behaviors coaches ask for from their players.  Courage, humility, determination, and a positive attitude when facing adversity are what I witnessed from Corey Myers as he endured the pains of cancer and the cancer treatment.  I will speak to players from now until I retire about the way Corey faced his battle with cancer.  I will encourage others to be like Corey Myers because he did things the right way.  I never witnessed Corey seeking sympathy or being embarrassed by his situation.  He faced his battle quietly and with his chin up.  Corey faced the threat of losing his senior season with a grin and a never quit attitude.  We could not have asked for a better role model for our players.

                  Corey was diagnosed with testicular cancer shortly after his junior season.  Over the next few months Corey would undergo three treatments of chemotherapy and lose his hair.  Eventually he had a testicle removed. He has had good checkups since being cleared to play his senior season.  He began his senior season healthy and made several big plays for us offensively.  Early in the season Corey suffered a severe ankle sprain which slowed him down in his pass routes.  Fortunately, for our team, he became a more ferocious down field blocker.  The coaching staff would stop and replay film to show his many big blocks during big plays.  Corey has had a very strong senior year academically and athletically.  He is now planning on attending Thiel College to continue his football career and pursue a college degree.

                  In closing, I would like to say that Corey Myers stands out as an athlete and a gentleman in our high school.  I often see him talking with and helping his peers and teachers in our building.  Corey always carries himself in a positive manner and looks out for others.  In my mind, this scholarship award could not go to a more deserving person.

******************************************************************************

Check back soon for more pictures

~INTERVIEW With Corey~

by: Alexandra Avram

1. Please tell us what type of cancer you have had and when you were diagnosed.

A. I had testicular cancer, and was diagnosed October 29, 2008.

2. What treatments have you had and what is your present health status?

A. I had two surgeries; one for the removal of the testicle that had cancer, the other was a lymph node removal because it had enlarged in my stomach. Before the second surgery I went through 3 months of Chemotherapy. My health status right now is excellent; I am on an every 3 to 4 month check up with a CT scan, a Chest x-ray, and blood work.

3. I understand you played both football and volleyball for your high school. Were you able to continue playing sports during your treatments?

A. Yes, when I was first diagnosed it was the day before my last game of football in my junior year. My doctor let me play that game but first thing the next morning I had surgery. The next form of treatment was the chemotherapy. This was also volleyball season. I never stopped playing volleyball through it. I thought if I can stand, run, and jump I can still play. I missed a couple of games because I was at the hospital doing chemo, but I never missed a tournament.

4. Tell us about the reaction and support of your teammates and coaches?

A. At first, I wanted to keep this to myself. No one needed to know. My thought was that I was young, both emotionally and physically strong, I handle this. Boy was I wrong! Once my hair starting falling out from the chemotherapy, I could not hide it anymore. It was good thing too, because emotionally it was starting to take its toll. I could not have asked for a better group of people. The first thing everyone said was "are you ok, is there anything I can do to help you". On a daily basis my teammates would ask me how I'm doing; my coaches would ask every day, "How are you, what has the doctor said to you on how things are going?" They supported me every inch of the way and I could not have asked for anything more.

5. Are you excited about playing football for college and will you be playing volleyball there too?

A. I am very excited to play football for Thiel College. This will be a whole new level of competition and I can't wait to go and play. I also have the honor of being part of the first men’s volleyball team at Thiel for the 2010-2011 school year.

6. Do you plan to get involved with any other special clubs or activities at college?

A. As of right now I am just keeping my options open for anything that might interest me, but for most of my time it will be sports and school.

7. Did you do anything special during your treatment to keep up your spirits so as to stay motivated to play your sports?

A. I went through a roller coaster of emotions; especially fear and anger. I used sports as my outlet. At the start of volleyball season my coach bought me a volleyball for all I was going through. I was the setter for my school, so at the hospital when I had nothing to do, I would pull out my volleyball and just start setting it to the ceiling. This is my senior year and I was determined not going to miss anything. During football, my practices were intense. A lot of weightlifting and tackling helped me to focus and feel better. It was also one of my best seasons. When my mom and I were together at the hospital we joked around a lot to keep both of us from being sad. The special thing for me was coming home from the week treatments because I could see my family and friends. They always knew how to keep my spirits up.

8. Do you have any religious convictions and do you think that helped you through tough times?

A. Yes, I have used my faith a lot since I was diagnosed. I believe this has been a crucial and optimistic part of my treatment.

9. What advice would you give any high school athlete who may be faced with a diagnosis like yours?

A. Don't be afraid to tell people; your team is like your family. You go through the good and bad as a whole. I knew that I would never stop fighting but it's my teammates, friends, family, coaches, and even people I didn't know would come up to me and ask how I was doing. This was my strength, my support. The school teachers, secretaries, and principles would ask about my well-being. The main thing is always listen to your doctor and parents, and the number one goal is DON’T EVER STOP TRYING you will get better, don't ever think otherwise. (Positive thinking has a power of its own.)

10. Is there anything else you would like to tell us? Anything else you would like people to know about what you went through or how you got through it?

I would say the hardest thing that I went through was finally realizing that I had testicular cancer. It was always a thing I heard about in school, and yes, I joked around with my friends about saying that I would never get it. I never checked to make sure but one day I felt a lump and it ended up being what I never thought could happen. I was basically in a denial state until after my first surgery. It was when I started chemo that it hit me that some type of disease was inside of me and if I didn't get it out now I could have died. After recognizing how serious this was I took a different approach; a positive one. Everyone made sure I was never down; I always made sure they knew how I was. I just want to give a special thank you to my mom (Lisa), dad (Ron), and brother (Justin). Also, my head football coach Mr. John Campbell , my volleyball coach Mr. Mark Stone, , the Fort LeBoeuf football team and Volleyball team, all of my friends, the entire Fort LeBoeuf high school and everyone who helped me through that darkest part of my life.