NEWS :: Red Cloud Indian School

Jerseys go from blue to pink as Red Cloud volleyball team raises awareness, funds for breast cancer research
posted on October 27, 2009

Photos: View photos of the Red Cloud Volleyball Team during their special night.

The Red Cloud High School Girls’ Volleyball Team traded in their blue-colored home team jerseys Monday night for a bright shade of pink, all in hopes of raising awareness of breast cancer, which effects one in eight women each year.

The young ladies sponsored the fundraiser in conjunction with the team’s Senior Night, the last home game of the season.

“We’ve been researching different causes that we could raise awareness for as a team, and came around to understanding that, as young ladies, breast cancer is a terrible health issue that truly needed our attention,” says Amber Twiss, a junior on the team. “It could hit any one of us, our mothers and our grandmothers, and all of us on the team felt that raising money and awareness within our community is an important way we can contribute to championing a cure.”

“We chose this night with the hope of raising the most awareness and funds, given the number of people that would be in attendance,” says Amber Steele, a senior and co-captain on the team.

In addition to the girls’ pink jerseys, admission was waived for the game, with a donation jar available to those wishing to contribute to breast cancer research. A 50/50 raffle was also held, and door prizes were given away. Even the opposing team wore pink. Between matches, parents of the student-athletes were honored with flowers—a Crusader tradition—for their continued support of the volleyball team.

“I am really proud of these young ladies for coming up with this idea, and following through with it,” says Jess Big Crow, head coach. “It’s really outstanding, and says a lot about these students-leaders—taking the initiative to raise money and promote the awareness of this cause on an evening that means so much to them and their parents,” she says.

While the Lady Crusaders lost to the Hill City Rangers in three matches, they walked away from the evening happy with the results.

“Although we didn’t win the game, we won the night—all of us did,” says Steele. “We had a great turnout, raised more money than we anticipated, and perhaps played a role in the ultimate health of women both on the reservation, and around the country.”

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