Rob Higgins, CEO of University of South Florida Athletics, was honored along with his father Jack at the 14th annual Sneaker Soiree held at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino on June 1. The event, which celebrates excellence in Tampa Bay sports, included a surprise presentation of the Freddie Solomon Moral Courage Award to both Rob and Jack Higgins for their battles against cancer in 2024 and 2025.
The award was presented following an emotional video detailing their experiences with cancer. “I’ve never been up on this stage and been speechless,” Rob Higgins said. “This is really weird to be up here without words.” After receiving a standing ovation, Lanness Robinson, executive director of the Tampa Bay Sports Commission who succeeded Higgins, announced that the Community Hero Awards would be renamed as the Rob Higgins Community Hero Award. Robinson said, “The Sneaker Soiree has been Rob’s baby. He took the opportunity to unite all of the Tampa sports community. Every single year, it got bigger and better.” Robinson added that what meant most to Higgins was sharing inspirational stories through these awards.
The story of Rob and Jack’s concurrent battles with cancer was highlighted during a video segment narrated by ESPN’s Holly Rowe. Casey Higgins described how difficult it was: “I remember sitting there with Rob in recovery as he was coming out of sedation and it was eerily quiet… They removed a four-centimeter tumor… I’m thinking, ‘Wait, did he just say Rob has cancer?’ Just the look on Rob’s face… I will never forget.” She also recalled how father and son supported each other during treatment: “A lot of times, Jack would be coming out of radiation and Rob would be going in… Instead, their father-son bonding was them fighting for their lives.”
Both men are now cancer-free after extensive treatments. Jack Higgins said from stage, “I think we’re right close to two years of clean scans, eating healthy, exercising and trying to do the right things… Hopefully we’ll be with you for a long time.”
University of South Florida Athletics is linked to the University of South Florida and participates in the American Athletic Conference; its programs have produced Olympians representing 13 countries across multiple sports disciplines while earning national championships and conference titles, according to the official website.
Rob Higgins concluded by thanking supporters: “It’s just so incredible the way Team Tampa Bay rallied around us… It’s unlike any other community in the entire country. We cannot be more proud to be members of Team Tampa Bay. Go Bulls!”
