EVAN CARAVELLI/Arizona Daily Wildcat Rugby head coach Dave Sitton is undergoing chemotherapy to treat cancer while at the same time coaching the rugby team and acting as the men's basketball announcer.

Dave Sitton may be one of the most dedicated men to ever work in affiliation with the UA athletic program. Throughout his career he has made several different contributions to the various aspects of Arizona sports.

He was recruited to play baseball as a Wildcat, has coached the Arizona rugby team the last 22 years and has also served as the play-by-play announcer for the men's basketball team on Fox Sports Net.

His voice can be heard in the streets, at homes, businesses and bars of Tucson, which all turn to Sitton for each of his simulcasts.

His vocal presence is acknowledged, yet many are unaware of Sitton's other obsession - rugby.

Sitton began his career at Arizona when he was welcomed by legendary baseball coach Jerry Kindall to the program in 1973.

At the time, Sitton had been experiencing shoulder problems which restricted his throwing abilities. When he realized baseball would not fare well for his ailments, he picked up rugby.

Even though the injury and switch from baseball to rugby were difficult ones, it doesn't compare to the challenge he now faces.

Two months ago, Sitton was diagnosed with lymphoma, which is a tumor of the lymphoid.

Although cancer is a disease that is considered irreversible by a majority of society, Sitton has strong faith in his doctors, who say that his condition is treatable.

While his diagnosis is more favorable than its potential, Sitton refuses to let this condition interfere with his daily routine.

This season, when the rugby team traveled to California to play Stanford and St. Mary's in Northern California, Sitton had intentions of coaching both games, including a flight to Tucson in between to broadcast the Arizona men's basketball game against Washington State.

Had he gone through with his original plan, Sitton would have returned home to Tucson with the Ruggers after totaling four flights in a weekend.

Those intentions were quickly cut short when his doctors told him that he could not fly to California twice due to his inadequate health.

Sitton's drive to spend time with his team is crucial to his life even though many times he finds himself juggling his chemotherapy treatments with practice.

"I don't know too many people who can get from chemotherapy to rugby practice within a period of two hours," said team captain Justin Kunz.

Even since his first brush with international rugby, Sitton was hooked.

In 1976 Sitton took his first tour of England and Wales exploring the sport with the Arizona rugby club.

Sitton said Wales coach Jon Evans was the person who really lit his fire and interest in the sport, and by the time he was 22, he had taken the Arizona head coaching job.

Since Sitton joined the program more than 30 years ago, he has worked with more than 1,200 student-athletes alongside assistant coach Mike Veth, who has been with the program the last 21 years.

In spite of Sitton's recent illness, he hasn't allowed it to slow him down on the rugby pitch.

At practice, weeks ago, Sitton was just as intense as he's always been.

"This is a very hard fought part of the game!" Sitton said. "If you don't want to do it, don't come out here!"

With all of his passion on and off the field, players have taken notice.

"This man has done an immeasurable amount for our program," Kunz said. "He's more than a coach. He's a father figure."