Pretty cool in Pink
Originally slated for Saturday, Feb. 5, the West Holmes Lady Knights will play in the fourth annual Pink Zone Game, Thursday, Feb. 10, when they host Ohio Cardinal Conference rival Mansfield Madison in the Dungeon, with the JV game set to tip off at 6 p.m. and the varsity game scheduled to follow around 7:30 p.m. Everybody attending is strongly encouraged to wear something pink to show their support.
The event, which will see players, coaches, administrators, parents and fans of both teams donned in pink to support the Kay Yow Cancer Fund – begun in 2007 by former North Carolina State head coach Kay Yow, who lost her battle with breast cancer in 2009 at the age of 66 – was started by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA).
For the fifth straight year between Feb. 11 through Feb. 20, women’s college basketball teams throughout the country will wear pink to help support the fund, which has raised $3.5 million for cancer research in a relatively short period of time.
Having become one of the first high schools in the country to participate in a Pink Zone Game back in 2008, the Lady Knights will be hosting their fourth straight Pink Zone Game on Feb. 10 thanks to the aggressive efforts of assistant coach Marlyce Yoder.
“There are two personal reasons why I get involved,” explained Yoder, who was made aware of efforts to get high schools involved early on, as a WBCA member. “First of all, I love the game of basketball, and second reason, both of my parents died of cancer. And when I can combine a sport that I love with trying to honor, not only my parents, but others who have been through the fight, it’s just an easy decision to make.”
The first two years, Yoder and others involved with the Lady Knights Pink Zone Game efforts did not try to raise any money, choosing instead to use the event to simply educate and raise awareness about breast cancer.
Last year’s Pink Zone Game saw Yoder and company raise $600 through their first fund raising efforts, however, and this year they are hoping to raise a lot more to donate to the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund.
“We’ve got a lot of people that have jumped on board for us,” said Yoder.
In fact, the board of education has agreed to donate 10 percent of ticket sales for the Pink Zone Game to the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund each year. The Athletic Boosters will donate 50 percent of the money raised through 50-50 ticket sales, for the second straight year. And the West Holmes Music Boosters have made a flat-fee donation as well.
“That makes it pretty special when we’ve got those folks who are supportive of us anyway, and of sports in general, to jump on board and help us make a difference,” added Yoder, who has received a great deal of help from JV point guard Kendra Martin’s mother, Diane Martin, in bringing this year’s entire Pink Zone Game together, as Martin has worked tirelessly in preparing for the evening and will coordinate all of the events in the commons area on the night of the game.
In addition to the organizational donations, the Lady Knights will be raffling off an assortment of items, including, two specially marked Pink Zone Game basketballs – one signed by all the JV players and the other containing the signatures from all of the varsity participants; two gift baskets – one stocked with items of interest for female fans and the other geared more towards men; and a pink-and-white colored cube cooler emblazoned with a pink breast cancer awareness ribbon.
Also available to purchase in the commons area at West Holmes High School on the night of the game will be five signed copies of the book, Leader of the Pack: The Legacy of Legendary Coach Kay Yow, written by Stephanie Zonars, whom Yoder met at Classic In the Country last month.
And while former West Holmes student, Aaron Schmitt, who works with Stitch Co. in Coshocton donated the pink T-shirts that will be worn by both teams, and those closely associated with both teams, Yoder also bought and sold 85 additional T-shirts, with half of the proceeds raised from those sales going to the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund.
“We all know someone who has suffered through some sort of cancer and this is just our way to try to make a bit of a difference, to bring facts and information and education to our community as well as to honor those who maybe are afflicted or have possibly lost their battle,” explained Yoder.
And while the radiology department from Pomerene Hospital will assist in that educational effort by setting up a display on the night of the game and handing out informative brochures, Yoder decided to begin the educational process with the Lady Knights players themselves, inviting Killbuck Elementary School teacher and breast cancer survivor, Sheryl Rogers to speak with the team during the week leading up to the originally scheduled date of the Pink Zone Game, on Feb. 5.
During that discussion, Rogers expressed her appreciation for the courage shown by the West Holmes players to step on the court and give their best effort night-after-night, comparing the qualities needed to be a successful high school basketball player to the qualities she needed to help her get through every day after being diagnosed with breast cancer 20 years ago.
Rogers also challenged each of the kids to understand the positive impact they have had on many people throughout the community, and to continue to be involved with those people, in much the same way Rogers continues to be involved with those who had a positive impact on her during her recovery process.
“It’s a worthy cause that Marlyce has taken upon herself to do with the help of others,” said current West Holmes head coach Lisa Patterson. “I’m always pleased that she is willing to devote the time and energy in educating our young ladies on a disease that seems to touch us all, whether directly or indirectly.”
Kay Yow is a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, having won over 700 games while leading the North Carolina State womens basketball team from 1975 until shortly before her passing in 2009. Yow was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1987, a year before leading the United States women’s basketball team to a gold medal at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. When Yow was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002, she became only the fifth women’s coach to be enshrined.
Those wishing to make a donation directly to the Kay Yow Cancer Fund can do so online at http://www.kayyow.com or as Yoder explained, “they could just seek me out personally and I would be more than happy to include a donation in what we send. That would be even cooler.”
The event, which will see players, coaches, administrators, parents and fans of both teams donned in pink to support the Kay Yow Cancer Fund – begun in 2007 by former North Carolina State head coach Kay Yow, who lost her battle with breast cancer in 2009 at the age of 66 – was started by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA).
For the fifth straight year between Feb. 11 through Feb. 20, women’s college basketball teams throughout the country will wear pink to help support the fund, which has raised $3.5 million for cancer research in a relatively short period of time.
Having become one of the first high schools in the country to participate in a Pink Zone Game back in 2008, the Lady Knights will be hosting their fourth straight Pink Zone Game on Feb. 10 thanks to the aggressive efforts of assistant coach Marlyce Yoder.
“There are two personal reasons why I get involved,” explained Yoder, who was made aware of efforts to get high schools involved early on, as a WBCA member. “First of all, I love the game of basketball, and second reason, both of my parents died of cancer. And when I can combine a sport that I love with trying to honor, not only my parents, but others who have been through the fight, it’s just an easy decision to make.”
The first two years, Yoder and others involved with the Lady Knights Pink Zone Game efforts did not try to raise any money, choosing instead to use the event to simply educate and raise awareness about breast cancer.
Last year’s Pink Zone Game saw Yoder and company raise $600 through their first fund raising efforts, however, and this year they are hoping to raise a lot more to donate to the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund.
“We’ve got a lot of people that have jumped on board for us,” said Yoder.
In fact, the board of education has agreed to donate 10 percent of ticket sales for the Pink Zone Game to the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund each year. The Athletic Boosters will donate 50 percent of the money raised through 50-50 ticket sales, for the second straight year. And the West Holmes Music Boosters have made a flat-fee donation as well.
“That makes it pretty special when we’ve got those folks who are supportive of us anyway, and of sports in general, to jump on board and help us make a difference,” added Yoder, who has received a great deal of help from JV point guard Kendra Martin’s mother, Diane Martin, in bringing this year’s entire Pink Zone Game together, as Martin has worked tirelessly in preparing for the evening and will coordinate all of the events in the commons area on the night of the game.
In addition to the organizational donations, the Lady Knights will be raffling off an assortment of items, including, two specially marked Pink Zone Game basketballs – one signed by all the JV players and the other containing the signatures from all of the varsity participants; two gift baskets – one stocked with items of interest for female fans and the other geared more towards men; and a pink-and-white colored cube cooler emblazoned with a pink breast cancer awareness ribbon.
Also available to purchase in the commons area at West Holmes High School on the night of the game will be five signed copies of the book, Leader of the Pack: The Legacy of Legendary Coach Kay Yow, written by Stephanie Zonars, whom Yoder met at Classic In the Country last month.
And while former West Holmes student, Aaron Schmitt, who works with Stitch Co. in Coshocton donated the pink T-shirts that will be worn by both teams, and those closely associated with both teams, Yoder also bought and sold 85 additional T-shirts, with half of the proceeds raised from those sales going to the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund.
“We all know someone who has suffered through some sort of cancer and this is just our way to try to make a bit of a difference, to bring facts and information and education to our community as well as to honor those who maybe are afflicted or have possibly lost their battle,” explained Yoder.
And while the radiology department from Pomerene Hospital will assist in that educational effort by setting up a display on the night of the game and handing out informative brochures, Yoder decided to begin the educational process with the Lady Knights players themselves, inviting Killbuck Elementary School teacher and breast cancer survivor, Sheryl Rogers to speak with the team during the week leading up to the originally scheduled date of the Pink Zone Game, on Feb. 5.
During that discussion, Rogers expressed her appreciation for the courage shown by the West Holmes players to step on the court and give their best effort night-after-night, comparing the qualities needed to be a successful high school basketball player to the qualities she needed to help her get through every day after being diagnosed with breast cancer 20 years ago.
Rogers also challenged each of the kids to understand the positive impact they have had on many people throughout the community, and to continue to be involved with those people, in much the same way Rogers continues to be involved with those who had a positive impact on her during her recovery process.
“It’s a worthy cause that Marlyce has taken upon herself to do with the help of others,” said current West Holmes head coach Lisa Patterson. “I’m always pleased that she is willing to devote the time and energy in educating our young ladies on a disease that seems to touch us all, whether directly or indirectly.”
Kay Yow is a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, having won over 700 games while leading the North Carolina State womens basketball team from 1975 until shortly before her passing in 2009. Yow was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1987, a year before leading the United States women’s basketball team to a gold medal at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. When Yow was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002, she became only the fifth women’s coach to be enshrined.
Those wishing to make a donation directly to the Kay Yow Cancer Fund can do so online at http://www.kayyow.com or as Yoder explained, “they could just seek me out personally and I would be more than happy to include a donation in what we send. That would be even cooler.”
Published: February 8, 2011
