Strength Coaches Partner in Coaches vs. COVID-19 Fundraiser
Fletcher a key organizer in nationwide webinar raising more than $162,000
Champaign, ILL.– When sports came to an abrupt halt due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, a group of strength coaches began brainstorming how they could make an impact. Adam Fletcher, the fifth-year Strength and Conditioning Coach for Fighting Illini Basketball, began collaborating alongside Buffalo Head Football Strength and Conditioning Coach Matt Gildersleeve, UCSD Sports Performance Analyst Lauren Green, Hawkin Dynamics CEO Ben Watson and Illinois sports science consultant Drake Berberet. Their goal was to pair fundraising for COVID-19 alongside professional development opportunities and engagement with colleagues. The result was a four-day webinar held the weekends of April 3-4 and April 10-11.
Word spread quickly and participation numbers grew rapidly. The Coaches vs. COVID-19 webinar was a resounding success, both from a fundraising perspective as well as exchange of ideas in an industry that is constantly evolving.
A total of 6,270 coaches nationwide signed up for the webinar, with those coaches donating more than $35,000. The National Strength and Conditioning Association awarded 2.2 continuing education units to those who participated. Sorinex equipment manufacturer designed a rack specifically for the event and donated 100% of sales from the rack to charity; a figure exceeding $98,000. An additional 29 companies donated $1,000 each to the cause as well.
These partnerships culminated in Coaches vs. COVID-19 raising more than $162,000, with all proceeds benefiting the Center for Disaster Philanthropy COVID-19 Response Fund. The webinar produced a total of 22 hours of presentations over four days, with those sessions archived on YouTube. They are now available to everyone as a free resource online at coachesvscovid19.com.
Fletcher a key organizer in nationwide webinar raising more than $162,000
Champaign, ILL.– When sports came to an abrupt halt due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, a group of strength coaches began brainstorming how they could make an impact. Adam Fletcher, the fifth-year Strength and Conditioning Coach for Fighting Illini Basketball, began collaborating alongside Buffalo Head Football Strength and Conditioning Coach Matt Gildersleeve, UCSD Sports Performance Analyst Lauren Green, Hawkin Dynamics CEO Ben Watson and Illinois sports science consultant Drake Berberet. Their goal was to pair fundraising for COVID-19 alongside professional development opportunities and engagement with colleagues. The result was a four-day webinar held the weekends of April 3-4 and April 10-11.
Word spread quickly and participation numbers grew rapidly. The Coaches vs. COVID-19 webinar was a resounding success, both from a fundraising perspective as well as exchange of ideas in an industry that is constantly evolving.
A total of 6,270 coaches nationwide signed up for the webinar, with those coaches donating more than $35,000. The National Strength and Conditioning Association awarded 2.2 continuing education units to those who participated. Sorinex equipment manufacturer designed a rack specifically for the event and donated 100% of sales from the rack to charity; a figure exceeding $98,000. An additional 29 companies donated $1,000 each to the cause as well.
These partnerships culminated in Coaches vs. COVID-19 raising more than $162,000, with all proceeds benefiting the Center for Disaster Philanthropy COVID-19 Response Fund. The webinar produced a total of 22 hours of presentations over four days, with those sessions archived on YouTube. They are now available to everyone as a free resource online at coachesvscovid19.com.
