Never Quit: Brown Players Carry on Rubida’s Legacy through Bench Press for Cancer

By: Tim Geer, Brown Athletic Communications

For anyone who visits the Berylson Family Football Complex at Brown, it's hard to miss. You enter through the main doors, walk straight down to end of the main hallway towards the coaches offices, and turn right. There on the wall hangs a Brown No. 71 jersey, serving as a focal point for all the players who walk by every day.

Since 2004, Bench Press for Cancer has been an annual event put on by the Brown football team, rallying them around a common goal, and much like that No. 71 jersey, helping them to carry on the "Never Quit" attitude and legacy of Lawrence Rubia '05.

"I'm always really proud of the kids and how they handle the community service, and this one is particularly true, since it is player driven," said head coach James Perry, a former All-Ivy quarterback for the Bears who graduated in 2000. "They take a lot of pride in raising the money per rep, and for me as an alum, it's neat to see because they take ownership of it and then execute it."

Rubida, a 6-foot-4, 283-pound top-rated offensive lineman for the Bears, missed his junior season in 2003 while recovering from an ACL tear, and was named a team captain for the 2004 season. He began experiencing pain in his hip and back that December, but toughed through it thinking it was part of aches and pains of the rehab process and playing football. With the pain getting progressively worse, he decided to seek help in the spring of 2004 and doctors discovered a massive tumor, the size of a small football in his pelvis. Diagnosed with Ewing's Sarcoma, a rare bone cancer that primarily affects children, Rubida, an Arlington, Virginia native, headed to California for treatment at Stanford's Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, one of the top hospitals for Ewing's Sarcoma research. Lawrence Rubida-2002

After being told he faced just a 10-15 percent chance of beating his cancer, Rubida famously replied in 2004, "They told me when I applied to Brown, I had an eight percent chance of getting in, and I got in, so 10-15 percent sounds pretty good to me."

Rubida's infectious energy and determination rallied his Brown family, the Ivy League, and cancer survivors across the nation to join together for fundraising efforts to help defray Lawrence's building medical costs, one of which was selling bracelets with the words "Never Quit" engraved in them, symbolizing Rubida's brave approach to fighting cancer.

Another effort – a Bench Press-A-Thon – was started by Brown offensive line coach Frank Sheehan and several of Rubida's teammates. The event proved a huge success and evolved into the team's Bench Press for Cancer, an annual event held on Brown's Main Green, with the 2021 edition taking place earlier this fall on October 18. To date, this year's event has raised nearly $15,000, and since its inception 17 years ago, has brought in approximately $200,000. The team has previously partnered with the American Cancer Society, but is now based in the local community, donating funds raised to The Miriam Hospital and their cancer survivor programs.

Unfortunately, Rubida's fight ended when he passed away in January 2005 at the age of 23. But thanks to BP4C and the current generation of Brown players, his legacy lives on.

"When I returned in 2007, I remember Frank Sheehan and (former head coach) Phil Estes talking about how important it was that we execute Bench Press for Cancer at a high level," Perry said. "To be able to carry on that tradition, is something that is important to me. Our kids walk down the hall and there's Lawrence Rubia's jersey. These kids get to see that and carry on the tradition. And every year to see our guys, be able to draw that connection to Lawrence through BP4C, I think that is what makes Brown Football special. It's really gotten stronger each year."

A player-driven event, Brown's offensive linemen take pride in carrying on Rubida's legacy and play a major role in running the event each year, from designing t-shirts that are sold at the event on the Main Green, to getting the bench and weights to the green, and staffing the event throughout the day.

"Ever since our freshman year, all the offensive linemen have really pushed us to get involved," said fifth year lineman Tucker Barnes. "It's really special for us to be a part of that because we get to carry on his memory and let him live through us. With COVID last year it was kind of disappointing not to have it (in person) because it really brings everyone on the team together and gets us centralized around one goal. We had really good turnout by the students this year."

Even University president Christina Paxon made a donation to the cause this year after walking by the event. Each member of the Brown coaching staff took part as well, and of course with some friendly competition between them. This year, wide receivers coach Eric Bunker earned bragging rights of leading the staff in reps.

"I only did 17 this year," Perry said chuckling at his number of reps at 165 pounds. "I was a little disappointed in myself."

"The biggest part of our bench press is the interaction," said Paul Frisone, Coordinator of Football Operations and Player Development. "Part of the alure and excitement is being on the main green, getting people as they walk by and there's a real human element that you need to have. We added an additional $1,500 in t-shirts sales just from that. The students that walk by and notice us really get into it and have fun with it." Lawrence Rubida-posed

"I didn't really know a lot about it at first, but just the leadership of the older guys telling us about Lawrence as a teammate and hearing from the coaches, it was really uplifting to be a part of it and giving back in that way," senior long snapper Timothy Forster said. "This year we had tremendous support from the community, alums, players, parents, coaches. That's huge especially since we missed out a little bit last year because of COVID. It was great to get back into it and having these younger guys getting involved in the tradition. We had a bunch of freshmen and sophomores that wanted to get involved and were always asking when we wanted to meet about it. They have been really enthusiastic about helping out with this cause and it's a great thing to give back and be involved with."

In a way, Bench Press for Cancer is the most fitting tribute for a player who was known to spend so much time in the weight room.

"One of the things Frank Sheehan used to talk about with Lawrence was that he spent the summers here lifting," Perry said. "Brown Football was a huge part of Lawrence's life. Even though his life was cut short, if he could spend his summer lifting in our weight room, that was what he wanted to do."

In addition to carrying on Rubida's legacy through BP4C, the team is also involved in an annual bone marrow drive each spring, which over its 12-year history has seen an astonishing five former players be the match, all of whom have donated their bone marrow to help save a life.

Thanks to the dedication and determination of players past and present, the "Never Quit" attitude and legacy of Lawrence Rubia has, and will continue, to live on.

Bench Press for Cancer may have taken place for 2021, but donations are always welcome and still being accepted. Those interested in donating can visit here.

Brown University Athletics

Never Quit: Brown Players Carry on Rubida’s Legacy through Bench Press for Cancer

Players Mentioned

Tucker Barnes

Timothy Forster

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