The First Academy rallies around lacrosse coach fighting cancer

The First Academy lacrosse Head Coach David Oliver may be fighting cancer — but he’s not alone. He was never alone.

Earlier this year, Oliver was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma — news that he received after feeling pain in his legs toward the end of last school year.

Tests in late April and early May showed some lymph node involvement, and an official diagnosis came in the following months. 

Chemotherapy treatments began in early September.

Later that month, a group of at least 20 of his players surprised him after a class period with shirts that read “Coach Oliver Support Team” on the front and “No hair, don’t care” on the back.

A few of the players even shaved their heads — a symbol of solidarity as Oliver continues to fight his cancer.

“We’ve got prom in two weeks, I’m like ‘Guys, don’t shave your heads,’” Oliver said. “They’re like ‘We don’t care.’ So, unfortunately for their dates, they’re going to have cueballs.”

“It’s so humbling, and to me it’s a reflection of the community at The First Academy, the community at First Baptist of Orlando and just the community of God that just comes around people and gives them comfort and strength and joy. I’m joyful — to see all the young men and the people that are helping my family gives me joy.”

Oliver said that the lacrosse team — and The First Academy as a whole — has always been a tight-knit group. As a coach, Oliver said all he wants to do his shape his players into compassionate men and leaders.

That influence has had a profound impact on lacrosse players like junior Josh Thomson, who said the team was eager to support Oliver in his time of need.

“I’ve been playing for him since seventh grade — he’s like a second father to me; we all love him so much,” Thomson said. “We want to be there for him, so we’re letting him know, but also it’s amazing to see someone who’s always so strong about it. Every day he talks about how much God is doing in his life even though he has something as bad as cancer. He’s praising God. … It’s amazing.”

Senior Cole Toenges said watching his coach walk that path and using it as a testimony has been inspiring.

“I was just blown away by his confidence,” Toenges said. “When cancer comes on you, your first thought is ‘Why me? What’s going on here?’ I remember him saying to us that day “I’m grateful for this cancer.’ That was just something I was blown away by.”

Oliver has spent most of his life pouring into others — making athletes stronger and ministering to his students. Over his 30-year coaching career, he’s worked with the USA basketball and soccer teams and even served as the strength and conditioning coach for the Orlando Magic from 1991 to 1997.

The support Oliver has received from his family, The First Academy, his players and friends through God has put things in perspective, he said.

“My hair is falling out, and I can’t reach down and put it back in my scalp — we can’t fix everything,” Oliver said. “My whole life I’ve been a fixer. I’ve been a coach. I’ve been Xs and Os. I’ve strengthened people. When my sons were sick and my wife was sick, I’ve always been the one to stand up tall and be the rock. With cancer, you can’t always do that. I’m just going to let people love on me and support me. … There’s some things we just can’t fix in our lives, and it’s OK not to be able to fix them. Other people can help us, that’s what I’m learning in all of this.”

Oliver said he has four more chemotherapy treatments left, leading up to a rescan before his last treatment in mid-December.

The Oliver family is praying for a nice Christmas present this year: that Oliver will walk out of the infusion center and ring the bell, signaling the end of his treatment.

“I just hope people can be encouraged by walking through a trial and continue to have strength and to know you have people around you who are supporting you,” Oliver said. “I’m just very blessed. … You can still have joy in your trials.”

If you ask Oliver how he’s doing, he’ll tell you that he’s already been healed.

“My spirit is 100%, my body might be a little jacked up, but I’m already healed, so let’s go,” Oliver said.