Proton Therapy Institute 8th Annual Golf Classic - University of Florida Proton Therapy Institute

With the tremendous support and participation of our Sponsors and Players over the last 7 years Play Golf – Fight Cancer is moving to a new venue for our 8^th annual tournament. Our new home is the Reunion Resort and Club in Orlando, Florida. We will be utilizing two of their three courses, the challenging Arnold Palmer and Tom Watson courses will be used in 2011. This new venue will allow for the growth that our tournament has experienced. We will have space for more sponsors and players thus enabling us to also raise additional important proton research funds for the University of Florida Proton Therapy Institute.

The University of Florida Proton Therapy Institute, located in Jacksonville, Florida, is the only proton therapy center in the Southeast and one of only 7 in the United States. UFPTI treats patients from all 50 states and around the world. It has been named one of the top 10 proton centers in the world. With a main focus on both clinical and basic research it is committed to changing the way cancer is treated and improving the lives and outcomes of all cancer patients. It is through research that better proton therapy technology will be developed, better proton therapy techniques will be defined, and new applications for proton therapy will be discovered.

By participating in this tournament, you will be supporting proton therapy research and helping cancer patients both now and in the future.

Please peruse this entire site for information on all the events and activities that will take place on October 10, 2011. See further down on this page for the Celebrity update. Click here to Review our History

L to R: Mr. Larry Shertz (Tournament Chairman), Mr. Hubert Green, Mr. John James, Miss Florida (2009) Megan Clementi, Miss Gabriella Shortridge, Mr. Jack Youngblood, Dr. Nancy Mendenhall (UFPTI Medical Director), Mr. Chris Doering, Mr. Doug Dickey, Mr. Tim Culberston (not pictured: Michael Connelly)

Holtz brings a wealth of experience to the sidelines-including a 199-87-7 (.686) career record that ranks him sixth in victories among active coaches (behind only Penn State's Joe Paterno, Florida State's Bobby Bowden, Nebraska's Tom Osborne, BYU's LaVell Edwards and Iowa's Hayden Fry ) and ninth in winning percentage heading into the '95 season. His 10 career postseason bowl victories rank him third among active coaches and tied for fourth on the all-time list. He has built a reputation as a motivator, a demanding disciplinarian and someone who relishes challenges and hard work.

He came to Notre Dame following two seasons at Minnesota (1984-85), seven at Arkansas (1977-83), four at North Carolina State (1972-75) and three at William & Mary (1969-71). He spent the 1976 season as head coach of the New York Jets of the National Football League. Twenty of the 25 collegiate teams under his direction have earned post-season bowl invitations-and 14 have finished in the final AP top 20, eight in the top 10.

Born Louis Leo Holtz on January 6, 1937, Holtz grew up in East Liverpool, Ohio, just up the Ohio River from his Follansbee, W. Va., birthplace. He graduated from East Liverpool High School, earned a bachelor of science degree in history from Kent State in 1959 and a master's degree from Iowa in arts and education in 1961. He played linebacker at Kent State for two seasons before an injury ended his career.

Holtz authored the New York Times best-selling book "The Fighting Spirit" that chronicled Notre Dame's 1988 championship season.

A noted speaker and student of motivation, Holtz has championed countless charitable and educational causes. Among the current beneficiaries of his help are the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation and South Bend's Center for the Homeless.

Married to Beth Barcus of East Liverpool on July 22, 1961, Holtz and his wife are the parents of four children-Luanne Altenbaumer, Skip (he graduated from Notre Dame in December of '86, spent two years as a graduate assistant coach at Florida State, one year as receivers coach at Colorado State, joined the Notre Dame staff as receivers coach in 1990, became offensive coordinator in '91 and was named head coach at the University of Connecticut in December of '93), Kevin (he graduated from Notre Dame in December of '88, finished law school at Notre Dame in the spring of '92 and currently works for the Dallas Cowboys) and Elizabeth Messaglia (a '91 Notre Dame graduate).

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One of the most decorated high school and collegiate athletes of all time, Chris Weinke became a legend in the state of Florida after helping lead Florida State University to its first undefeated season and second national championship in 1999. Weinke went on to win several major awards in 2000, including the Heisman Trophy, while finishing his career with a 32-3 record and as the FSU record-holder for career passing yards and career touchdown passes. After a pro career that included a trip to the Super Bowl while with the Carolina Panthers, Weinke has rededicated his career to coaching youth football players the correct fundamentals and technique in an era in which many say proper mechanics have mostly disappeared. Using his knowledge from an extensive playing career that included being led by some of the game’s most respected collegiate and pro coaches, Weinke has the understanding and passion for how to help develop successful football players. Most recently working with NFL rookie, Cam Newton of the Carolina Panthers.

The 8^th Annual UFPTI Play Golf – Fight Cancer Golf Classic is pleased to have 17 year old Zachary Miller joining us as a Celebrity guest. Zachary will be speaking at our Awards Dinner. We hope that you will join us to hear about this young man’s proton journey at UFPTI. In January 2010, when he was 15, he was diagnosed with Germinoma brain cancer. After his chemotherapy, he received 6 weeks of proton therapy under the care of Dr. Robert Marcus. Today Zachary is cancer free, starting his junior year in high school and has a renewed faith in God.

Gabriela returns for her 2^nd year at the Annual UFPTI Play Golf – Fight Cancer Golf Classic. As a past patient of UFPTI, this brave young lady looks forward to continuing her golf development on the youth mini-tour events in Florida.

Chris led the Florida Gators to their second consensus national championship with a 41–14 victory over the Ohio State Buckeyes January 8, 2007, taking home the offensive Most Valuable Player (MVP) award for the game. His performance was solid throughout the BCS championship game, completing his first nine passes at the start of the game, and finishing with twenty-five completions in thirty-six attempts for 213 yards and one touchdown. He was listed on the SEC Academic Honor Roll each year he attended Florida, and was a finalist for the Draddy Trophy, also known as the "Academic Heisman" for college football players. He graduated from the University of Florida College of Liberal Arts and Sciences with a bachelor's degress in scocialogy, with honors, in December 2006, and was a keynote speaker during the graduation ceremony. Chris is remembered for volunteering with children in the Goodwill Gators Program, encouraging them to put school first and avoid drug use. At home in Charlotte, North Carolina, he also worked with the Boys and Girls Club and the Steele Creek Youth Athletic Association, served as an inspirational speaker with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and spoke at area middle schools encouraging students to stay focused on their goals. He has played professionally for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League.

He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011. Artis was named to both Sporting News’ and Athlon’s Top 50 of the first 50 years of the NBA. His Kentucky Colonels team won the ABA Championship in 1975.Some of his records include: career .599 field-goal percentage – highest in NBA history, 3rd highest shot blocker in pro basketball history (3,178), 4th highest rebounder in pro basketball history (16,330), 14th of all time pro basketball scorers (24,941), leading left-handed scorer in pro basketball history. He is one of eight players in college history to average 20 points and 20 rebounds per game over a career. He was an All Star in 11 of 17 years as a pro. He is 5th best all-time for pro minutes played (43,836), played 670 consecutive games and was the MVP and Rookie of the Year in 1971-72. He holds the ABA single-season record for the most blocked shots (422) and the all-time ABA rebounds per game (40) record. He won 4 out of 5 ABA rebounding titles. He led Jacksonville University to the NCAA championship game vs. UCLA in 1970.

A current player on the PGA senior Player’s Champions Tour, Mr. Green is a 2007 inductee of the World Golf Hall of Fame. He is also a member of the Florida State University Hall of Fame, the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame and a 2006 member of the Southern Amateur Hall of Fame. In 2002 and 2004, he received the Champions Comeback Player of the Year award. In 2004, he also received the American Cancer Life Inspiration Award and at the 2005 Masters Golf Tournament, Mr. Green was presented with the Ben Hogan Award for continuing to be active in golf despite a serious illness.

Mr. John James is the current Executive Director of the University of Florida Gator Boosters, since 1986, and is a past University of Florida Gator football player. He is also a 13-year veteran of the NFL where he played on 3 teams, the Atlanta Falcons, the Detroit Lions and the Houston Oilers. John was signed to play football right out of college by the NFL Atlanta Falcons where he played for 10 years. While in Atlanta, John led the league in Punt attempts and yardage in 1974, 1976, 1977 and 1978. In 1975 John was chosen for his first of 7 Pro Bowl Selections.

Mr. Jack Youngblood has received countless awards throughout his college and pro football careers. Since retiring from pro football, he has been active in business, television, radio, sports broadcasting and acting where he received an Emmy nomination for ‘Best Supporting Actor’ in 1988. Many believe him to be one of the greatest defensive players of all time. He is considered one of the best defensive lineman in Gator history as well as one of the top five players in the University of Florida football program. Some of the many awards he has received over the years include: election to the All American Football Team and to Sports Illustrated All time High School Football Team in 1989. In the NFL, Jack was 5 times All Pro Team and a 7 times Pro Bowl Selection. He was selected in multiple years as the NFC Defensive Player of the Year as well as the Los Angeles Rams MVP. Some of his awards over the years include: Election to the College Football and NFL Hall of Fames, the NFL’s 1970’s All-Decade Team, the St. Louis Rams Ring of Fame and the University of Florida’s Ring of Honor, the 100-year anniversary Gator Football Team and the 1999 Rams All Century Team.

Michael Connelly decided to become a writer after discovering the books of Raymond Chandler while attending the University of Florida. His books have been translated in 35 languages and have won the Edgar Award, Anthony Award, Macavity Award, Los Angeles Times Best Mystery/Thriller Award, Shamus Award, Dilys Award, Nero Award, Barry Award, Audie Award, Ridley Award, Maltese Falcon Award (Japan), .38 Caliber Award (France), Grand Prix Award (France), Premio Bancarella Award (Italy), and the Pepe Carvalho award (Spain) .

Michael was the President of the Mystery Writers of America organization in 2003 and 2004. He lives with his family in Florida. Here is a partial list of his books:

The Black Echo, The Black Ice, The Concrete Blonde, The Last Coyote, Trunk Music, Blood Work, Angels Flight, Void Moon, Darkness More Than Night, City Of Bones, Chasing The Dime, Lost Light, The Poet, The Narrows, The Closers, The Lincoln Lawyer, Crime Beat, Echo Park, The Overlook, The Brass Verdict, The Scarecrow, Nine Dragons, The Last Coyote. The next book from Michael, The Reversal, will be released in October 2010.