The summer’s biggest blockbuster wasn’t a movie or a hit song; it was a bucket of ice being poured on people to raise money for charity.

Anyone who’s anyone has done it, from Derek Jeter to Former President George W. Bush. What started off as a fun little challenge among friends has turned into a worldwide phenomenon.

But what has made the ice bucket challenge such a success? For one it’s shown the power of social media as observed by Pace head football coach Andrew Rondeau.

“It’s incredibly positive that the movement was able to raise awareness and a large amount of funding, as I understand, for ALS (Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis),” said Rondeau, who witnessed his team participate in the challenge over the summer.

While originally the ice bucket challenge was not linked to ALS, all it took was one person along with a couple of social media platforms in order for it to take off.

Thanks to social media it has created a chain of awareness which has touched many different areas, including the world of sports.

Numerous athletes have continued the chain all over, including various athletes at Pace; most notably the entire Pace football team. The challenge served as a way for the team to come together to help raise awareness of a terrible disease.

“It was good for our players to be aware of real and giant challenges that exist for individuals and families that are affected by ALS,” Rondeau said.  “Hopefully they added to the chain of spreading that awareness.”

The popularity has been so influential that it has even created a spin-off movement in the world of college sports. Niya Butts, head women’s basketball coach at Arizona University, began the program with her staff in order to raise money for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund.

Similar to the ice bucket challenge, it continued to spread through collegiate athletic programs across the country. Pace’s own Carrie Seymour and Patricia Blow, women’s basketball head coach and assistant coaches, respectively, have participated in this challenge.

Even T-Bone got in on the fun after being challenged by the Oregon Duck, Oregon University’s mascot, on June 27.

The different challenges have created a brotherhood of ice, a community of people who have joined together, regardless of whom they are and what they do, in order to raise funds and awareness for various causes.

“It’s definitely something fun to do that brings people together,” said women’s field hockey coach Valerie Hickman.

“The awareness it has garnered for ALS has been through the roof.”

The challenge so far has raised over $100 million for the ALS Association. Those challenged can post a video of themselves completing the challenge, nominate others and then donate or decline the challenge and donate $100 to a ALS charity.

#Chillin4Charity has a similar rule book, with coaches having 48 hours to accept the challenge. Head coaches who accept donate $50, while assistant coaches donate $25. Those who do not complete the challenge have to donate $250 to the Kay Yow Cancer Fund.

Feel free to visit http://www.alsa.org/donate/ and/or https://donate.kayyow.com/ if you would like to donate. No ice buckets required.

Check out the Pace Athletics YouTube page to see T-Bone’s icy splash.