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By Chris Rydburg
OXFORD, Ohio - As the
Miami hockey team travels to Alaska for its matchup with the Nanooks this
weekend, many members of The Brotherhood will be sporting their Movember
mustaches for the last time this season.
Movember is an annual, month-long event in which
thousands of men around the world grow mustaches in order to raise awareness
for prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and other men's health issues. Senior
Curtis McKenzie took the initiative last year in bringing the Movember
tradition to the Miami locker room.
"Movember is a fun thing to do with all the guys
and bring awareness to prostate cancer and help the cause with donations,"
McKenzie said. "Last year we found the Movember website. Matt Tomassoni, Connor
Knapp, and I all partook in it last year. This year I asked if anyone wanted to
and tried to see if I could spark some interest. There were a lot of takers
this year, so there are a lot good mustaches going around."
Participation this year has doubled as almost
half the roster is sporting the unmistakable Movember mustache. Many of the
freshmen have donated their faces to the cause.
"I think the whole hockey community has taken it
over," freshman Kevin Morris said. "I think a lot of us have had fun with it.
Obviously it's a great cause and we are happy to be part of it. It's something
we've embraced and had fun with it."
Last year the Movember organization raised an
astonishing $126.3 million dollars for men's health. The charity looks to
continue its efforts every year to bring awareness to prostate cancer, while
using thousands of faces as free advertisement.
"I joined the effort because I thought it would
raise awareness and get people thinking about health, which is an important
thing to me," senior Marc Hagel said. "I think there are about seven or eight
guys besides me to start this up at the start the month. McKenzie started an
account on the Movember website, 'Mo Money, Mo Muzzies'. You can go there and
donate money and help out."
The Brotherhood isn't the only hockey team
participating in the event as many hockey teams around the world have pledged
support to the cause.
"This has kind of become a tradition for a lot
hockey players around the world," Morris said.
If you ask the team which player has the best
mustache, all of them seem to agree.
"Alex Gacek has quite the mustache," McKenzie
quipped. "It's phenomenal to say the least."
"Gacek has the best mustache by far. I am a
distant second. I think Gacek's is getting caught in his food and his drinks,"
Hagel said with a laugh.
Although the mustaches are for a good cause, the
guys admit that the facial hair isn't doing them any favors with the ladies.
"We're donating our good looks, we're putting them
aside for the month," Hagel joked.
"Ah not so much," Morris said of compliments on
his new look. "It's for a good cause. All of us are willing to bite the bullet
for a month. To be honest, it's not too popular, but we still enjoy it and have
fun with it."
While the facial hair may attract unwanted
attention from the opposite gender, the guys said they will be thankful for it
when they travel to frigid Alaska this weekend. McKenzie went so far as to call
his mustache a "lip sweater."
It's not too late to get involved with the
Movember madness. To learn more or contribute go to http://us.movember.com/ and click the donate tab. Fans can even donate money to Miami's
Movember team by typing in "Mo Money, Mo Muzzies" into the search bar.
"I think it's a good, fun thing for the guys,"
McKenzie concluded. "A lot of them seem to like partaking in it. I definitely
think the guys will keep doing it for the next few years here."
--MURedHawks.com--
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