The only team ranking of much consequence these days for the grieving Colorado State football program is on the Denver Livestrong Challenge website. That’s where “Ramstrong” is second with more than $18,000 in pledges for the Aug. 20 cancer research fundraiser.
Forming the “Ramstrong” team was the idea of Michelle Boyle to honor her younger brother, CSU receivers coach Marc Lubick, who is battling a rare form of cancer. It was designed as a joint honor for her brother and his inspiration, Karen Hammerschmidt, wife of longtime CSU offensive coordinator Dan Hammerschmidt. The 37-year-old mother of two died Wednesday after a six-year battle with breast cancer.
On Wednesday, Boyle and Tasha Ballard, wife of CSU assistant Karl Ballard, were selling green Ramstrong T-shirts at a golf fundraiser.
“Marc has a dream for the CU-CSU game that he looks up in the stands, and looks up at a sea of Ramstrong shirts,” Boyle said. “Marc loved Karen. She brought him meals and sent a fruit basket when he was at the Mayo Clinic. It’s just not fair.”
When Boyle noticed the Lance Armstrong Foundation listed Denver as one of five cities for the Livestrong Challenge, she thought she could get her husband, Gerard, a handful of friends, coaches and their families involved in raising pledges. As of Friday, 72 participants were registered for the walk, run and cycle fundraiser.
The Livestrong Challenge, last week’s golf fundraiser and a recent celebrity bartender night are part of a project to raise money and awareness for the Lance Armstrong Foundation. Along the way, pancreatic cancer survivor and Fort Collins resident Tim Rickett joined the team. He will sit in every one of Hughes Stadium’s 34,000-plus seats Aug. 16 for his part in raising funds.
Lubick, 28, was diagnosed in late February with rhabdomyosarcoma, a soft tissue cancer that usually strikes children younger than 10. He has endured weekly chemotherapy treatment since February and is scheduled to end treatment Aug. 4. His prognosis is good, and his father, CSU head coach Sonny Lubick, said last week he knows he’ll have to keep his son from doing too much when practice begins in August.
The term “family” often is overused by college sports programs to encompass athletes, coaches, their spouses and children. But for CSU wide receiver Dustin Osborn and teammate Clint Oldenburg, family was all that mattered.
When talking about Marc Lubick and Hammerschmidt, Osborn said, “We have to make sure we don’t do anything to place extra stress on them, not only on the field but off the field.”
Said Oldenburg, an offensive tackle, “It’s unbelievable the way Coach Hammerschmidt has dealt with this. Now we have to help him out. We have to be his support system.”
Natalie Meisler can be reached at 303-820-1295 or nmeisler@denverpost.com.
