The gymnasium was a sea of pink on Friday, October 18 when the MHS girls’ junior varsity and varsity volleyball teams hosted their highly anticipated “Dig Pink” matches as part of a nationwide effort to raise funds to support breast cancer research. Over 6,000 dollars were raised that evening for the Side-Out Foundation, the organization that allows volleyball clubs to perform community service and fundraising activities during their seasons to promote breast cancer awareness and education. In addition, both teams raised over 3,200 dollars for the American Cancer Society’s Coaches vs. Cancer Foundation.
“The night was a big success,” junior and varsity team member Jamie Schlesinger said. “I’m proud of my team, not just for playing a great match, but also for joining the fight to end breast cancer.”
Senior Christie Murphy and the sixth grade McKenna choir sang the national anthem before the JV and varsity games, respectively. As usual, the MHS Kickline team also gave an awesome performance.
Both Massapequa teams won their matches, with a varsity score of 25-15, 25-13, & 25-16 and a JV score of 25-16, 25-16, & 25-15. The warm and exciting atmosphere of the evening not only helped the girls win their games, but also made the event more enjoyable for those in the stands.
“It was touching to see that a sports team would dedicate a whole match to breast cancer. I thought it was great to see so many people supporting the team and this cause,” sophomore Brian Kirschner said.
Varsity volleyball coach Carol Ann Habeeb–Kiel felt the same way. “With this much continued support, we’re definitely on the path to fight breast cancer and create a world with more birthdays,” she said.
Although it clearly feels good to win, the community’s overwhelming support of such a worthy cause was the greatest prize of all.