CHARLOTTE, N.C.- Queens University of Charlotte is pleased to announce both the men's and women's basketball coaching staff will participate in the Samaritan's Feet 2010 campaign “Barefoot for Bare Feet” on January 16 as the teams take on Pfeiffer University. All of the Queens coaches will coach their respective contests without shoes.
Samaritan's Feet, a non-profit organization, announced on Jan. 7 a national launch of “Barefoot for Bare Feet” movement to honor the late Martin Luther King, Jr. Men's and women's basketball coaches at all levels will be encouraged to coach their games in their bare feet in remembrance of the 300 million children who wake up every day without shoes.
Joining the coaches' efforts the Department of Athletics encourages fans to bring in a new pair of shoes or make a donation to Samaritan's Feet. Any fan who does either, or both, will receive a discounted admission rate of $3.00, half the normal adult price. Fans who donate or bring shoes will also be entered into a drawing for prizes. The Royals hope to surpass the 2009 efforts where they collected 40 pairs of shoes and collected close to $100.00 for donation.
"I am honored to once again participate in this noble cause created through Samaritans Feet," said men's head coach Wes Long. "It is my hope that through our small act of coaching Saturday's game in bare feet, a great awareness of poverty is raised both on our campus and in our community."
During halftime of both games Queens will hold halftime contests, for anyone who wants to participate, where the participants will need to find their shoes, put them on and make a lay-up.
"A man felt sorry for himself because he had no shoes until he met the man that had no feet," said women's head coach Trudi Lacey. " We all have an opportunity to help someone who is less fortunate than ourselves. We all can be more generous than we think and in 2010 let's begin by thinking of others first."
The women's game will start at 5:30pm and the men's will follow at 7:30pm at the Ovens Athletics Center on Queens' campus.
