Castleton Sophomore Rob Guerin has organized a football tournament set to kickoff May 2 at Castleton University to benefit Alopecia awareness.

The Spartan defensive lineman was diagnosed with alopecia at 9 months old and has dedicated his life to bringing awareness to the disease and helping those who have it. The disease makes people lose their hair.

“Once I got to an age where I kind of understood everything is when I wanted to start being able to help and make a difference, and so that’s when I started the foundation, around 6th grade,” he said.

That foundation is 3B, which stands for Bold, Bald, Beautiful. Guerin said he has had to take time off from the foundation in the past but was glad to bring it back with help from the Castleton football team and his partners, Jordan Wright and Dawson Pierson, whom he gave much credit to.

“Rob is one of my closer friends from my class and is one of my teammates. Rob came to me instantly about his idea and we just ran with it,” Pierson said.

From 5:30 to 8 p.m. on May 2, Guerin’s 3B foundation will host the first “Seven on Seven for a Cause” football tournament.

“Our hope is to have the final game under the lights,” he said. “It is a tournament for teams of four. All the players are from the Castleton football team, that is one of the ways we are keeping everything safe for COVID. On top of that, there is a going to be an offensive and defensive line competition … we’re not leaving out the big guys,” Guerin said with a smile.

Guerin drew inspiration from his Seminar in Sports Management class, and after seeing the Spartan hockey team host small tournaments benefitting cancer research. He said it did not take long to realize that this was something he could do too.

“I can do something like that. I already have a foundation setup, something that I could have this money go through with good support systems, I just made it that much easier to combine 3B and Spartan football, two things that are so dear to me,” he said.

Guerin has aspirations for 3B that extend far beyond this tournament, however.

“I want to help people, that’s my number one goal,” he said. “I’d like to transition 3B to a community outreach foundation where I’m helping out in communities and larger cities,” he said.

Guerin was inspired to make changes for youth in larger communities from events he witnessed growing up in the Waterbury, Connecticut area. His plan is to go full-time with 3B as a non-profit organization after college and use events and fundraisers to help people, both in an alopecia awareness capacity and a community outreach capacity.

“I’m hoping to provide after-school programs, doing stuff with kids after school, keeping kids out of the streets,” he said.

Four teams are set to play at Dave Wolk Stadium on the first Sunday in May. Guerin’s fundraiser has already doubled his $1,000 goal.

To say that players and organizers are excited for the tournament would be an understatement. 

“Honestly it feels amazing. I’ve known about Rob’s mission with 3B since last year and I have always supported it,” Pierson said,  adding that the support from both the communuity and football team was a great feeling. 

“After all the things everyone has been through this past year, it feels great to be back on the field,” said team captain and Spartan signal-caller Jacob McCarthy. “Robbie is a great teammate and being able to help him with his cause is just what the Castleton football team is all about.”

3B apparel can be purchased by contacting Rob Guerin and donations can also be made with the proceeds benefitting Alopecia awareness and Camp Discovery.