Huskies Go Pink for Cancer

On most nights the fight for touchdowns, goals, spikes or personal bests.

But in October, the teams don pink for family members and others who are battling cancer or lost a loved one to the disease.

And it's not just the athletes who are raising money. The fans also get in the spirit by purchasing special pink T-shirts which give them admission to all the "pink" games along with bake sale items. 

"We wanted to show the kids you can give back and volunteer in many ways," said Sean Zaborowski, director of athletics and operations for Lakeview. "We are working to build better athletes and better young men and women."

The fundraising effort began three years ago when the volleyball team started with "Volley for a Cause," raising money for the Karmanos Cancer Institute. The following year it expanded to include football, with funds donated to Gilda's Club. 

And this year all fall sports are participating and looking to add to the nearly $20,000 which has been raised for to fight cancer. Funds raised this year will be donated to the American Cancer Society.

Zaborowski said the athletic department has sat down after every fundraiser to try to "see how see how can do things bigger and better than the year before."

He added that he would like to schedule all the fall sports to play the special "pink" games in one week.

For the athletes and their families, the game has special meaning.

"I thought it was great that he was doing this," said Cheryl Herrick, whose son Jeremy is a senior on varsity soccer team.

Monday night he was playing for his grandfather, who died from cancer. Like his teammates, he wore a special pink jersey that honored someone who died, or was fighting, cancer.

Varsity soccer coach Simon Miners said that his boys realized "how many people are affected by cancer."

Wearing pink, and playing for a someone, raises the game of the athletes, Zaborowski said.

"It gives the kids meaning to play, and play better," he said.