While it’s common to come across organizations giving out fliers to eat at restaurants which send a small portion of your bill towards a charity or cause of your choice, there aren’t a lot of organizations that combine sports with philanthropy and at the same time are also successful at it.

The Red and White Classic is one such organization that steps out of the box and organizes an event every spring that’s not only fun but very rewarding.

Initiated in September 2010 by Kelly Cox, a senior in political science, and Josh Knight, a senior in civil engineering, the Red and White Soccer Classic is a five on five soccer tournament that charges participants a nominal entry fee. All proceeds go to the Jimmy V foundation that focuses on cancer research.

According to Knight, it was the love for soccer combined with the willingness to make a difference that led them to organize the tournament.

“Kelly Cox and I both have a passion for soccer and we wanted to use that passion for a charitable cause,” Knight said. “Some of our family members have been affected by cancer in the past, so we decided we wanted to raise awareness and funding for cancer research.

“We made a decision to raise funding for cancer research, rather than donating to individuals that are currently fighting cancer, to aid in finding a cure for cancer.”

It had been an enriching experience, according to Knight, and being able to play soccer was definitely not the most rewarding part.

“The most satisfying part of being involved in this organization was sending in a huge donation to the Jimmy V Foundation and getting back its letter of extreme appreciation,” Knight said. “I am sure the V Foundation receives many donations that surpass what we were able to raise, but the positive response of the V Foundation to our donation made us eager to continue this tournament and work even harder to raise more funding for our cause.”

John Miller, a senior in biomedical engineering and the treasurer for the organization, said he was sold the moment the idea was presented to him.

“When Josh and Kelly presented the idea to me, I thought it was brilliant,” Miller said. “People are itching to play soccer in the spring when there’s no IM play, and it’s a fun activity for a great cause. I’ve played soccer all my life and enjoy sports in general, and I love to see the power of sports change the world for the better.”

“Additionally, I do undergraduate research and have seen the effect that money has on the quality of research that can be done; even small chunks of funding can make a difference.”

With all three officers being seniors, Miller claimed they are in the process to ensure the tournament wouldn’t die once they graduated.

“In order to keep the tournament going, we’ve begun grooming our replacements this year,” Miller said. “Now that everything is in place in terms of being an official organization and affiliating with the Jimmy V Foundation, it is easier to hold the event. We are recruiting freshmen to become involved in the process of holding the tournament.

“By working with them throughout the year, they have learned a lot about what it takes to organize the tournament, and we are confident they will be able to pass that along to other students once they are juniors and seniors.”

Richard Deans, a senior in chemistry who played in the tournament last year, felt the entry fee shouldn’t be a deterrent for those interested in playing.

“I know for a fact that the money I spent to register is well spent,” Deans said. “Last year the tournament ended up raising about $800 for the Jimmy V Foundation if I am not mistaken, which is really great. Registration is really not too expensive, at only $11 per person. I am planning on donating to the tournament in excess of my registration costs because I want to support what they are trying to do. 

“I do not think the registration costs would be prohibitive for anyone.”

The tournament takes place on Saturday, March 17 at 10 a.m. on the Lower IM Fields. You can go to redandwhiteclassic.com to register.