Cheshire Jets: Matt draws inspiration from cousin’s death for charity drive

Oct 28 2010 by Alec Doyle, Chester Chronicle

THE slam dunk is the most iconic method of scoring in basketball, and Cheshire Jets player Matt Schneck is turning it into a way to make money in memory of his late cousin.

Forward Schneck may be a BBL rookie in his first pro-season, but the 6ft 8ins powerhouse is determined to make one of his most potent weapons – the dunk – pay to help the fight against leukaemia through his fundraising effort ‘Dunks for Donations’.

For every dunk he scores, he now donates money to charity.

In 2002, Schneck’s cousin, Matt Reichl, lost his long battle with the blood cancer.

Reichl, who wore number 40, was also 6ft 8ins and tipped as a pro-baller despite having spent periods away from the game to battle his condition.

In April of 2002 he lost that fight and Schneck vowed to dedicate his athletic career to his cousin.

“It was an idea I had on my blog, www.steakandschrempf.com,” said Schneck.

“I was getting around 15,000 hits so I thought it would be cool to take the exposure that’s getting and turn it into something good so I came up with Dunks for Donations.

“My cousin died at a young age and it hit close to home for me.

“To be here with the Jets now and doing this is a dream for me so this was kind of a way for me to give back to those less fortunate and fight leukaemia my way.”

Originally Schneck intended to pay out 40c (about 25p) per dunk but he has since raised that to $4 and business is brisk.

Plus the Jets have promised to match the amount raised by the end of the season, doubling the contribution.

“I’m up to eight dunks myself at the moment,” he said. “The team’s probably got 25.

“Sometimes the opportunity doesn’t present itself in the professional game so I had to raise the amount per dunk.”

The money Matt raises goes to the Leukaemia Society of America and there are a handful of other charities linked on his blog as alternatives for people to donate to.

“For me it’s about raising money in memory of my cousin,” he said. “But people can choose their own cause, their own charity and if they want to link it to our performances that’s great.”