The holiday season is a time for celebration, reflection, and giving back. At Cretin-Derham Hall, student-athletes and coaches took the past Christmas break to showcase the enduring bond among CDH alumni but also highlighted the school's commitment to fostering a supportive and close-knit community.
The boys and girls hockey teams gathered for their annual alumni games at Highland Arena on December 23. Over 70 alumni laced up their skates and returned to the rink..
Matt Funk, CDH Athletic Director and Varsity Boys Hockey Coach, expressed his pride in the strong turnout, stating, "To see this kind of turnout makes me proud to be a Raider; the sense of community at CDH is unmatched."
Not to be outdone, the CDH boys and girls basketball programs organized their own alumni night on December 28. The doubleheader basketball event drew over 50 alumni to cheer on the Raiders. Following the games, alumni and coaches gathered at JR Mac's to share stories, laughter, and memories.
Both basketball programs seized the opportunity to host their annual Coaches vs. Cancer night, aligning their efforts to raise funds for cancer research. The Coaches vs. Cancer (CvC) program is a nationwide collaboration between the American Cancer Society and the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC). Since 1993, this initiative has leveraged the personal experiences, community leadership, and professional excellence of coaches nationwide to increase cancer awareness and promote healthy living.
The teams also organized a Free-Throw-A-Thon; a combined 90 players from the boys and girls basketball teams gathered pledges from family, friends and the community raising nearly $14,000 to contribute to the fight against cancer.
Jerry Kline ’93, Boys Basketball Coach, praised the community and players for their remarkable contributions, stating, "We are so proud of our community and our players for stepping up in a big way for a great cause." Tara Seifert, Girls Basketball coach added“The commitment to service and the collective effort to support cancer research demonstrated the values that CDH instills in its students both on and off the court.”
These alumni events and charity initiatives showcased the spirit of the Raider community, re-connected alumni, and made a positive impact in the lives of others.