Moore Lions Inspired by Coach's Fight Against Cancer

Originally Published: Nov 3, 2010 9:38 PM CDT

Corey DeMoss
Oklahoma Sports Staff Writer

MOORE, Oklahoma – The Moore Lions have struggled on the football field, but that has not kept them from forming an undeniable bond between players and coaches.

That bond has been tested over the past year by a challenge that none of them saw coming. Head coach Scott Myers learned in January that he has cancer in his kidney and spine.

Since receiving that diagnosis, Myers has traveled to Texas for treatment; first for surgery, then radiation and now he is undergoing chemotherapy. After the players learned of Myers’ condition, they were unsure of exactly how things would play out.

“Most of us didn’t know what was going to happen honestly,” offensive lineman Billy Wood said. “We didn’t know if he was going to be gone for the season, didn’t know if he was going back and forth [to Texas].”

Despite all of the adversity, Myers has managed to make it back to Oklahoma to coach every week this season. Myers’ struggle has inspired his players and taught them lessons they did not expect to learn from football.

“It’s a struggle for him in some of the things he does because he’s aching and he’s in pain,” linebacker David Cowan said. “So he can be like, ‘Oh, I’m a little sore, I’m going to take the day off?’”

The Moore High School community has rallied around Myers, selling T-Shirts that say “Play4 Coach” and holding fundraisers to help pay for his treatment. While Myers’ perseverance has inspired his players, the reaction of the community around them has done the same for Myers.

“It made me stronger to be around this program,” Myers said. “It’s not all me in this program, it’s what this program does for me too.”

The Lions will finish their season Thursday night against Lawton Eisenhower, and are looking to avoid finishing with their second consecutive winless season. But for this team, it is about more than wins and losses.

“We love him and we’re going to play our hearts out for him in our last game Thursday night,” defensive tackle Ryan Crain said.