Nova Scotia·Video

Ice bucket challenge: SMU honours former coach Larry Uteck

Saint Mary's University football players are honouring former coach Larry Uteck by participating in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.

Uteck was a former pro football player, member of the Order of Canada

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Saint Mary's University football players are honouring former head coach Larry Uteck by participating in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.

The viral fundraising campaign involves donating money and recording a video of yourself having ice water dumped over your head, then nominating three other people to do the same. However, the players in the video said they wouldn't be issuing any challenges, that this was a tribute to Uteck.

Uteck, a former professional football player and a member of the Order of the Canada, died on Dec. 25, 2002 at the age of 49. He was diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease, in 1998.

The prominent Canadian served as a regional councillor and deputy mayor of Halifax, as well as athletic director at Saint Mary's University.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a progressive neurodegenerative disease affecting the brain and spinal cord. There is no cure and only one medicine to slow its progress has been approved.