HAMPTON, VA (WTKR)- People who walked into the Kecoughtan High School gym Tuesday night immediately noticed a sea of pink. From balloons to jerseys to fans, even the referees' whistles, the Warriors traded in their usual green and black for pink to do their part in the fight against breast cancer.
The second annual Dig Pink event hit the volleyball programs and it all started with Kecoughtan girls head coach Hannah Jeff.
"My mom was actually diagnosed with breast cancer back in 2021, so it's near and dear to my heart," Jeff said. "A number of people in my family line have had breast cancer and beat it, so it's just really important to do this."
"We get everything all pink," added Warrior sophomore Deziah Harper. "We wear as much pink as we can that's allowed on the court, on and off the court. We have a bake sale, things of that nature, to support and help raise money to go to those charities."
The Kecoughtan volleyball community might be a microcosm of society when it comes to breast cancer. Up and down the boys and girls rosters, the disease has impacted many players and coaches, such as Warriors' head boys coach Mikell Bond.
"It touches me, it touches a few of my boys, so it's a good thing to do out here," Bond noted.
"For me personally, my mom is a survivor of breast cancer," added Kecoughtan freshman Lucy Lively. "For me it's really important and we just want to spread awareness."
"Two of my aunts have battled breast cancer and are survivors of [it], so I feel like this game is really deep to me," Harper said.
There was no shortage of energy around the gym for Tuesday night's boys and girls showdowns against Warwick. Fans found action both on and off the court with the contributions coming as fast as the points. A bake sale and raffle items were part of the festivities, with proceeds going to the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Spectators could donate and receive a ribbon with a breast cancer fighter's name on it that would be hung up on the gym wall and those fighting the disease or who have battled it were recognized with pink roses from the teams between the games.
All in all, it was a great way to use the platform of sports for a bigger cause.
"It gets the awareness out," Jeff pointed out. "It's got other schools in our district doing it, too. It's really exciting to be able to do it and have so many people rally around us."
When the games concluded, the Warrior girls fell in a close one, 3-2, to Warwick, while the boys swept the Raiders, but on this night, everybody walked out of the gym winners. Kecoughtan and those in attendance did their part to fight for a cure.
"It's like one in seven women get breast cancer, so it's just nice being bigger than ourselves," Bond said.
"We care about a lot inside and out of volleyball," Harper added. "We want to make sure that everyone inside and out of this world is healthy, as best as they can be, and living their best lives."
"We all have somebody who's been through it or is going through it," said Jeff. "It's a thing to celebrate and raise money for and hopefully we'll find a complete cure for it."
