Nov. 8, 2005
For a college athlete, the chances for free time are pretty limited.
Between going to class, doing school work, studying for exams, going to practice, working out and eating meals, when they have the opportunity to get a day off, chances are the day will be spent lounging around their dorm room or apartment.
The Georgetown University football team, like most college football teams, had one day "off" this year. That came on Saturday, October 29, a week after the Hoyas 24-21 come-from-behind win over Fordham on the Washington, DC campus.
The Hoyas, however, did anything but take the day "off."
Along with other members of the Students of Ailing Mothers & Fathers (Students of AMF) service group, and led by teammate and founder of the group, David Fajgenbaum (N'07), 40 members of the Hoya football team voluntarily woke up at 7 a.m. on a clear and crisp Saturday morning to participate in the Greater Washington Regional Heart Walk.
Students of AMF (www.StudentsofAMF.org) is a support network for college students with a sick or deceased parent that was named in honor of Fajgenbaum's mother, Anne Marie, who passed away from a brain tumor one year ago.
While it began as just a support group, the service group, which is now made up of more than 350 Georgetown students, was formed for students who have not experienced this kind of loss, but who want to support their peers by organizing and participating in projects that raise money and awareness about terminal illnesses.
This was of special importance to the Hoya football team, as twins Darren (B'08) and Brent (B'08) Craft lost their father, Jerome (B'70), to heart disease seven years ago.
"It was so great to have all of these guys out here on a Saturday morning in memory of Mr. Craft and in support of all of the survivors who attended the walk," senior offensive tackle Liam Grubb (C'07) said. "I really think that the survivors were inspired to see all of us here."
The football team plays its final two games of the season at home - on Saturday, November 12 against Davidson, and then the following weekend, on Saturday, November 20 against Colgate.
And while the season may begin the next day, it's not as if the team will sleep in on their first free day.
On Sunday, November 21, members of the team will be getting up at 7 a.m. for the Thomas G. Labreque Foundation Classic four-mile run to benefit lung cancer research and awareness.
