STONY BROOK, N.Y. — For the Ford family, basketball is in the family.
Geno is the head coach at Stony Brook, his brother Dustin is the associate head coach at Akron, and Geno's son Darin is a graduate assistant alongside his uncle with the Zips.
Geno and Dustin's father Gene instilled the basketball life in all of them.
An Ohio basketball legend, Gene Ford spent close to three decades as the head coach at Cambridge High School and 40 years in total in the coaching profession, including his final eight years in the profession as the head coach at Muskingum University.
Gene passed away in late June at the age of 67 after a battle with cancer.
This week, all three Fords in the coaching profession — along with hundreds around the country — will be partnering with the American Cancer Society and the National Association of Basketball Coaches for the annual Suits and Sneakers Week, as part of the Coaches vs. Cancer campaign.
"I've been party of Coaches vs. Cancer events for as long as I can remember," the Seawolves head coach said. "This year, it will hold a little deeper meaning for me having lost my dad to cancer following a 40-year basketball coaching career."
Gene was part of Geno's staff at Muskingum before moving on to be an assistant at Kent State. The family's patriarch stayed on until the end of the 2015 season.
Gene had coached Geno and Dustin during their prep days at Cambridge High School. He watched them both then lace up for four years at Ohio University.
Now, they'll be lacing them back up at Stony Brook and Akron, respectively, this week in remembrance of their basketball inspiration.
"I'm sure I will have a much stronger level of emotions as I lace up the sneakers to coach on Wednesday night," Geno Ford said. "I have previously looked at the event as a good cause, but moving forward it will bring a level of sadness to me, personally."
The event is in its 26th season. Coaches wear sneakers with their suits to raise awareness and funds, while encouraging people to educate themselves about cancer prevention.
Stony Brook will partake in Wednesday's 7 p.m. contest against Binghamton at Island Federal Arena.
"I hope it will serve as a chance to reflect on some of the many funny stories and times we had growing up," Geno Ford said.
Join the Seawolves for Wednesday's Suits and Sneakers game. Get your tickets now!
