Lancers, Kubica battling together

By Darryl Mellema

Alec Kubica should be on the field, leading Lake Park's soccer team like the senior midfielder he was to be this season.

But that's not what Kubica's life has set before him, and now his difficult pathway is also that of his teammates, who are determined that he not walk any steps without the knowledge that they are with him – either physically or spiritually.

Kubica is battling Neuroblastoma, a cancer of the portion of the nervous system that carries messages from the brain. A relatively rare form of cancer, Kubica's diagnosis was that he had contracted Stage IV Neuroblastoma, which is the strongest form of the disease.

The diagnosis would have been a blow to Lake Park's soccer team had Kubica been a third-string player who rarely played. But Kubica was a starter, an attacking midfielder, and would have been one of the keys to the team's success this year.

Of the things that athletes do as they prepare for their senior seasons, they don't usually factor in a battle against a deadly disease – especially when the athletes involved are all teenagers.

“It wakes you up sometimes,” Lake Park coach Norm Hillner said. “He's dealing with it, some of our guys are having to deal with what's going on. You don't expect to be dealing with this.”

As the news of Kubica's pending cancer battle spread, the Lancers came together and found their own ways to support their teammate. Every Lancers player currently has a red T-shirt with Kubica's initials “A.R.K.” on the front. On the back is the phrase: “A tough time NEVER lasts. A tough person ALWAYS does.”

Blue wrist bands have been made as well. Those shirts and wrist bands can be spotted everywhere in the stands when the Lancers play. Profits from the sales of these items goes to the American Cancer Society and to Kubica's family.

This effort has spread beyond just the soccer community and extends school wide. An appeal for students to wear their A.R.K. shirts on the first day of school led to more than 400 shirts coloring the hallways of the school red.

“It's a huge support,” Lake Park senior Chris Mash said. “He sees all the kids wearing these shirts and wearing these wrist bands and it's like he has a big family behind him.”

It comes as no surprise to anyone who's been involved with Lake Park soccer for even a short amount of time that this is the kind of response the team has had to their teammates' situation. Saturday, the school held its 20th annual alumni game. An event most schools don't host at all or perhaps only have for special anniversaries has taken place for 20 years at Lake Park.

“We've always prided ourselves on our tradition. It's not a thing where you only think about the year that you graduated,” 2002 Lake Park grad George Fleps said. “Once you're in our program, we feel that you're a family member. For Alec, we send him blessings. The kids have taken him under their wing and definitely support him.”

Fleps is still involved with Lake Park's program as a junior-varsity coach. Saturday, he put on the soccer boots again and took the field on which he starred with teammates and other members of the Lancers' extended family.

“It's fun to get back out here on the pitch and relive some old memories and just enjoy yourself,” Fleps said.

The Lancers are a giving group. Hillner's wife is battling breast cancer and they will play Thursday's game as a benefit to help find a cure for that disease -- wearing Pink and Blue.

The alumni game helps raise money for a foundation set up after the death of assistant coach Chris “Lefty” Frizzelle, who died of a heart attack in 2008.

“The team all cut their hair for Alec and I didn't know they were doing it,” Hillner said. “Then my wife had to go get her hair cut – and I did it too. There's way more important things. I mean, we take the games seriously, but things like this make you think 'what really is important that's going on.'”

Kubica has been back in school between treatments. He has attended some Lake Park games and practices. While he's not listed on the Lancers' roster, that's only because he's unable to take the field.

“It's awesome,” Lake Park senior Cameron Siegle said. “It means he's feeling better, can be active and not think about it all the time.”

Mash said various groups of Lancers have hung out with Kubica since diagnosis. While phrases like “how are you doing” still pass from lips, more often than not, the banter is as it was last fall and at any other time that Kubica wasn't known for his cancer battle.

“It's just normal,” Mash said. “We don't even bring it up. If he wants to talk about it with us, we'll talk about it. But usually, it's casual conversation. We'll talk about soccer. We'll talk about whatever.”
Soccer certainly still dominates those conversations.

“We talk about it all the time,” Mash said. “He always tells us how we can improve certain formations. He thinks he knows it all.”

The work to help Kubica continues. A benefit is planned from noon 4 p.m. on Oct. 17 at Pinstripes in South Barrington. A variety of activities will take place that day, including brunch for $25, bowling or bocce ball for $15 as well as a silent auction and raffle. For more information, go to http://www.cureforkubica.com.

As Mash said, “we just got to stay behind him. That's about all I can say.”