|
by ASHLEY DAVIS
Sports Editor
Donning pink in honor of breast cancer awareness has become increasingly trendy, as Everlast boxing gloves, Kitchen Aid mixers, M&Ms and now the Appalachian State University volleyball team have indulged in the coloring.
Friday Oct. 24, the volleyball team will hold the fifth annual “Dig for the Cure” at the Holmes C. Convocation Center when the Mountaineers host The Citadel at 7 p.m.
“[Furman
University] had their ‘Dig for the Cure’ event when we were there on
Saturday and I think they were at $19 a dig,” Appalachian head coach
Matt Ginipro said.
“We left that gym saying we wanted to beat Furman and we’re at $19.53 right now.”
Fans and
supporters can help increase the team’s earnings per dig by contacting
coach Ginipro or attending Friday’s event and making either a one-time
donation or by pledging an amount per dig the team collects.
So far the team has accumulated 1,275 digs this season, averaging 14.7 digs a set.
The “Dig
for the Cure” was started in 2003 by former Davidson College coach Lisa
Marston to raise awareness and give the volleyball community an
opportunity to give something back to the community.
Ten
Southern Conference programs and more than 150 NCAA Division I
volleyball teams are participating in this year’s fundraiser.
This
year’s event has a more personal tone for the Appalachian volleyball
team however, as a former Appalachian volleyball player’s mother is
battling breast cancer, and a close coaching friend of Ginipro’s was
recently diagnosed.
“It doesn’t really hit you until you have a direct connection to it,” Ginipro said. “It does motivate you to try and do more.”
Ginipro
said he thought Friday night’s game would be a good match, adding that
there is the potential for both teams to accumulate a bunch of digs.
Students can attend the event for free, adults cost $5, and all attendees are encouraged to donate to the event.
In
addition to the actual match fans will be able to participate in face
painting and the American Cancer Society will be present.
The volleyball team’s special pink jersey’s will be autographed and auctioned at 9 a.m. on GoASU.com Saturday.
“It’s a
really great chance for us to give something back to the community,”
Appalachian Athletics Assistant Marketing Director Wesley Berry said.
“Cancer is something that affects almost every family these days, this
gives people an opportunity to support the cause and watch a really
good volleyball game.”
Appalachian
and the Citadel both rest at the bottom of their conference divisions,
so Friday’s match will show each team making an effort to improve their
conference standings.
“Any
time you can take your team and do something good, whether it’s a
project out in the community or an event like this, raising money for
breast cancer research, I think it’s great,” Ginipro said.
“You
know part of what athletics is about, sure we’re acting as
representatives of Appalachian, but we can also take that and do some
good with it as well instead of just being a team.”
Trackback(0)
 |
TrackBack URI for this entry
Show/Hide comments