Sports
November 2O21
PLAYING FOR RAY Article by Boaz Kim
Ray Sandidge, head coach of the boys varsity had this idea to spread awareness and provide Ray’s battle.” soccer team and a local coach at Florida Kraze support for his fight because he means so much Players such as junior Ryan Avallone, who is Krush soccer club, was recently diagnosed with to us,” Brown said. “So we created shirts that also on the boys varsity soccer team and plays stage four colon cancer. According to Cancer. say ‘Play for Ray’ because that was the trend for Florida Kraze Krush, said that he was takNet Sandidge is one of 150,000 adults diag- we started to help spread awareness, and we en aback at receiving the news of Sandidge’s nosed with colon cancer each year. Sandidge is made shirts for all the players and coaches to diagnosis. currently going through chemotherapy treat- wear and also made shirts for everyone to buy “We were all at training when we were inment three days a week, every other week. that wants to support Ray’s fight.” formed by my dad who was coaching our Sandidge has played team, and it was soccer at UCF and for very devastating and the Olympic team in shocking to hear,” 1978. He stumbled Ryan said. “[Sanupon coaching at a didge] was actually young age and grew right there with us to find a passion for and he talked to us, coaching. telling us that everySandidge said that thing would be okay when he was 16, and that he was gohe decided to start ing to get through coaching while still this.” playing for his club A GoFundMe team in Miami. Afstarted by Florida ter a couple of years, Kraze Krush soca couple of parents cer club coach Joe from his club paid for Avallone has also him to get his nationbeen a huge sucal coaching license. cess in Sandidge’s “I played for a long fight against cantime, tried to make a cer. As of now they little bit in the pros have already raised and didn’t quite make about $40,000 of it,” Sandidge said. “I Anna Miliotes their $50,000 goal always liked coaching, Ray Sandidge, coach for boys varsity soccer, talks to his team before starting practice. He has from 245 different and I had the aptitude strong bonds with his players and they show him support through this hard time. donors. Joe said for it, so I began dothat for the month ing that.” of October, Florida As Sandidge fights through his diagnoJunior Mason Dowdy also contributed to Kraze Krush teams will be wearing pink jersis, his players and other coaches have been spreading awareness by passing out bracelets seys that say ‘Play for Ray’ on them to support coming together to help his cause and spread with words of encouragement for Sandidge Sandidge. awareness. Junior Henry Brown who plays on “I wanted to do something to spread awareAs Director of Soccer for the Florida Kraze the boys varsity soccer team and for Florida ness for coach Ray so I purchased bracelets Krush, I knew how I felt about our coach Kraze Krush has been organizing shirts to sell online that had words of support for him,” Ray,” Joe said. “Coach Ray has been coaching and plans to donate the proceeds to Sandidge’s Dowdy said. “I passed them out around school in Central Florida for over 40 years and our family for his medical expenses. to pretty much whoever wanted them and coaches, players and families all love the man. “My mom and I and a couple other moms wanted to help spread awareness about coach As coaches we have to give back to our com-
