Parish, soccer team rally around coach battling rare form of cancer

Published: 2006-01-04

ST. LOUIS (CNS) -- The banner -- "We love u coach!" -- said it all. The girls on the seventh-grade soccer team at Ascension Parish in Chesterfield made the banner supporting Steve Ostermueller as he battled cancer this fall. And while the team was thrilled to win the Catholic Youth Council's Cadet Division championship, they were more excited to see Ostermueller's health stabilize after it had deteriorated. "During the middle of the season, he was really sick in the hospital," said Ken Adler, one of the coaching assistants. The girls dedicated the season to Ostermueller, Adler said. In addition to the banner and a soccer ball they signed for him, they were constantly praying for him. The whole parish has been praying for him, asking for Pope John Paul II's intercession, he added. When the coach started coming to the games again, Adler said it was good for the players to see their prayers seem to be answered. Now they are praying that the cancer doesn't advance.

Copyright (c) 2006 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .