For the first 995 games of Paul Patterson's career as head men's basketball coach at Taylor University, the NAIA Hall of Famer has donned a pair of shoes on the sidelines.
Holding true to tradition, students will sell out Odle Arena and silently wait until the 10th point is scored. At the double digit mark pandemonium ensues. One of the premier events on Taylor's campus and one that you must experience to fully understand its magnitude, Silent Night will bring a new twist to Odle Arena this year.
While Patterson will not be decked out in the pajamas and wild costumes that the rest of the student body sports that night, he will pace the sidelines in his bare feet to raise awareness for the 300 million children worldwide who are at risk due to not owning a pair of shoes.
Patterson follows the lead of IUPUI head coach Ron Hunter, who was the first to coach a game barefoot in conjunction with Samaritan's Feet, a Charlotte, N.C. based non-profit organization committed to providing 10 million shoes for 10 million children in 10 years.
At halftime of the Silent Night game on Friday night, fans will have an opportunity to donate $5 via text messaging to Samaritan's Feet, which will cover the cost of a brand new pair of shoes.
The shoes donated will be traced to Taylor University. Mission trips are currently being planned for Taylor students to deliver those shoes to the children in need.
Action at the Ivanhoe Classic continues on Friday night when Indiana Tech faces Cardinal Stritch (Wisc.) at 8 p.m. The consolation game is Saturday at 1 p.m. followed by the championship matchup at 3 p.m.
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