Andy Colombo is one of the best tennis players Rochester has ever seen.
This Friday, he and some more of the area's best, will take on some of Rochester's worst, like 13 WHAM's Toby Motyka and Jon Doss.
Colombo and other local pros are hosting the News Team MDA Charity Classic this Friday from 6:30 to 8:30 at the Mendon Racquet and Pool Club.
I've brought out a good cast," said Colombo. Marcus Fugate, Paul Lobban, Scott Thyroff, some of the best players in the area. I think there's gonna be a lot of things in our bag of tricks, and we'll make sure that everybody has a good time.But Friday's event to benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association has an extra special meaning to both Andy, and his family. His father passed away this past weekend from ALS, or Lou Gehrig's Disease at the age of 63. And ALS is one of the diseases the MDA is fighting so hard to find a cure for.
"I look out there and look to the sidelines for my dad for coaching help," Colombo said. "But now I'm gonna be looking up top, upstairs. He'll be shining down on me. He's been with me and been coaching me from about the age of 12. This is probably the first time I've actually played without him on my side."
But rather than call things off because of his father's loss, the event will go on to honor his memory.
"It's going to be very emotional for me, but it means the most to be able to give back to the families that are going through the same type of thing or are going through the same time of tihng that we are right now. For me, I feel like I have a purpose and he'll be on my back the whole way."
