By Cory Tell ’14, Sports Editor

In one of the most iconic coach’s speech in recent history, Jim Valvano, the legendary North Carolina State college basketball coach, declared, “Don’t give up, don’t ever give up. Try and support cancer awareness events so that someone else might survive, might prosper, and might actually be cured of this dreaded disease.”

While it is a sad reality, it seems as if everyone has had some direct connection to cancer whether it be to a family member, or to a public figure like Jimmy V. Any form of cancer is incredibly difficult to fight, and the disease causes those affected to suffer through long periods of doubt. Fortunately, there are various organizations that aim to fight the disease. Campaigns like Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which occurs each year in October, may not seem to have a seismic effect on the fight against cancer. However, they actually go a long way in raising funds for cancer initiatives and educating the general public on symptoms associated with breast cancer. Sports teams’ public platform allows them to spread significant national messages such as breast cancer awareness. At Newark Academy, an event like “Turn It Pink Day” is instrumental in bringing the issues of breast cancer to the forefront of the school community while also raising significant funds.

There are few things in the world that attract a communal following like sports do. It is always great to see high profile professional or collegiate teams extending themselves beyond the field of play to help a greater cause. The NFL has supported breast cancer causes during games in October for several consecutive seasons, and also donates 12 percent of its breast cancer merchandise sales to the American Cancer Society. This year, the Oregon Ducks football team, which is currently ranked #2 in all of college football, had the most conspicuous showing of support for breast cancer awareness. The team wore pink helmets, socks, cleats, and gloves as a symbol of the university’s effort to raise public consciousness of the dreaded disease. Zach Epstein, an avid football fan said, “I think it’s great that Oregon has taken a step towards raising awareness for such an important issue, following suit of what the entire NFL has been doing for years. The Oregon Ducks are really making use of their wide national audience to convey an important message to a large demographic of people. It is a great step towards Breast Cancer Awareness, as we see how successful the NFL’s identical campaign has been the last several years.” Additionally, after one game, the Ducks auctioned off 25 of the pink helmets and raised more than 200,000 dollars to help facilitate new breast cancer awareness programs in the United States.

Newark Academy has taken a similar initiative in hopes of educating people on breast cancer and raising money for the disease. Last year, the Newark Academy sports teams wore pink wristbands throughout the month of October. While the small gesture may have appeared somewhat inconsequential, it actually stirred up a lot of positive conversation amongst the Newark Academy community. Seth Wilensky, a member of the Newark Academy soccer team, said, “Wearing the wristbands was the soccer team’s way of bringing attention to a cause greater than sports.” The soccer team was among many Newark Academy teams that made “Turn It Pink Day” such a considerable success. The event, which included a multitude of girls’ games for spectators to watch, also helped sell items like shirts and socks to raise money for breast cancer awareness. Leading up to the athletic contests, Newark Academy held a casual day for anybody wearing pink and willing to donate two dollars, raising over 800 dollars. Aside from the monetary benefits of the event, the tribute also united the community in fighting for a cause.

Jimmy V concluded his renowned speech with the thought, “We need your help. I need your help. We need money for research. It may not save my life. It may save my children’s life. It may save someone you love. And it’s very important.” The athletic community, along with Newark Academy, has certainly responded to this call for action. Not only has athletic competition raised impressive amounts of money for cancer research, but it has also had an immeasurable impact on the public profile of cancer awareness.