sports
page 20
D
G
k n P
10.29.08
The varsity girls volleyball team participated in the “Dig Pink” event for breast cancer awareness sponsored by Stride-Out during its game against Centreville on Oct. 16. Oakton was just one of over 800 other high schools and colleges that participated in the event all over the nation, including one game in Canada and one in Germany.
alena schw arz
alena schwarz sports editor
ale
na
sch wa rz
alena schwarz
“We want to get involved with some volley— 800 teams total ball club teams and take — 62 from Virginia Dig Pink on the National — $137,060 raised in Tour which holds some of the biggest matches in online donations the nations, some events — Overall goal: playing 1000 teams,” $350,000.00 Dunetz said. “We want the Dig Pink name to — Oakton’s contributions: be going on through the $405.00 off season and blow up — 100,000 individual again next October like a chain reaction.” donations Overall, the Dig Pink rally has been a success based on the eagerness of teams to get involved. “If we had gotten only 50 teams I would have been happy, but 800 is over the top,” Dunetz said. Even from the perspective of the players, the event was seen as a success. “It was something new and different,” said senior side hitter Kelsey Rowley. “It was a good idea for raising money.” Compared to other breast cancer awareness organizations, the Dig Pink rally has done well. “We’re the second biggest organization out there right now,” Dunetz said. Not only did the event promote breast cancer, but it temporarily subsided a school rivavlry. “Instead of being against each other, we came together to play for a cause,” Rowley said. “We were unified.”
fast facts
he stands in the Centreville High School’s main gym were filled with fans wearing pink for the girl’s volleyball game on Oct. 16. While most fans were there for their home team, Centreville, there were scattered Oakton fans on the benches. However, whether cheering for the Wildcats or the Cougars, all the fans had one thing in common: they were there to support breast cancer awareness at the match sponsored by Dig Pink. Dig Pink is an event sponsored by the Side-Out foundation to help promote awareness for breast cancer. All throughout Oct. matches have been held throughout the US at both the college and high school level, as well as one game in Canada and Germany. Side-Out was founded by Annandale’s volleyball Head Coach, Rick Dunetz. He created the organization based on a personal experience that affected him during the 2004 season where, at that time, he was the coach at West Springfield. “At that time I was only the assistant coach,” Dunetz said. “But at the same time that the head coach retired, I found out my mom was diagnosed with Stage four breast cancer. I was nervous and kind of stressed, so I spoke to the team about my situation and about how my head wasn’t really in it. They ended up rallying around it, turning it into a miracle season. “We started to really win and ended up goBumping the ball ing to the District back over the net towards the finals. My father Centreville side, dragged my mom junior Sally Wrenn to the match and tries to prevent in a way I think the opposing team those matches from getting another got her in the mindset point at the game to fight back because held at Centreville before she kind of just High School. The accepted the fact that she team now has might not get better.” a record of 6-9. After its In his opinion, the inspiragame against tional story of his mother’s Herndon on fight against breast cancer Oct. 23, the sets a better tone to rally team hopes awareness for breast canto move on cer research. to the first “It’s better to round of start with a positive Districts story rather than a on sad story,” he said. “You Oct. 23 can show people that there’s hope.” So far, this Dig Pink event is the first. However, the founders are hoping that it can turn into an annual and, possibly, year round event.
websites
T
alena.schwarz@oaktonmedia.net
— Side-Out Foundation: www.side-out.org/ — Donations: www.sideoutvolleyball.org/ mainevent/minievent/CentrevilleHigh/
alena schwarz
Giving directions to her teammates, junior captain Lee Brinkman (top) commands the game and regulates the next play. Oakton ended up losing the game to Centreville in the Dig Pink event 0-3. The loss was the second straight 0-3 loss, previous one coming from its game agaist Westfield at home. Heading toward the stands, freshman Kelsey Wildman, junior Lee Brinkman and senior Christy Hite (bottom) hand out pink flowers to those who know someone who was affected by breast cancer. The event was sponsored by the Side-Out foundation founded by Annandale Head Coach, Rick Dunetz.