By FRANKIE CORRADO’18
SPORTS EDITOR
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Lake Forest College Athletics annually supports the fight and raises awareness in numerous ways.
The Forester Women’s Tennis Team wore pink socks to represent Breast Cancer Awareness during their Play for the Cure game on Saturday, September 16, against Ripon College and Lawrence University.
On Saturday, September 30, the Forester Women’s Volleyball Team had their annual Play for the Cure game and Midwest Conference Opener against Knox College. Many players note that they wore pink socks and pink ribbons in their ponytails during the game.
“Our coach also wore pink dress pants,” Olivia Drevs ’21 adds. “My great-aunt has just recently survived breast cancer and so these events always mean a lot to our family. They always remind me to not take anything for granted and to enjoy the little things.”
Maxie Mottlowitz ’18 said that, having family members pass away from cancer, the Play for the Cure game was important to her because she knew she was playing for a special reason.
On Sunday, October 1, the Forester Women’s Soccer Team wore pink socks over their shin guards during their Play for the Cure game against Lawrence University, a Conference game which the Foresters ended up winning 7-0.
“People also did various stuff, like pink hair dye or pink ribbons,” says Forester defenseman Sammy Wilke ’18, “and the Relay for Life tables were set up for fundraising.”.
According to Alejandro Rubalcaba ’18, a men’s soccer defenseman, the Forester men’s soccer team did not wear any pink apparel. Instead, they gave flowers to their moms and took pictures before their Play for the Cure game. They also had a moment of silence dedicated to families who have been impacted by breast cancer.
Tom Steen ’18 mentions that the Forester football team had its Play for the Cure game on Saturday, October 21, where the entire team wears pink socks. During the game, Relay for Life tables were set up on the sidelines to collect donations and sell merchandise.
The National Breast Cancer Foundation states that one in eight women are diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. Although it is very rare, approximately 2,470 men are diagnosed with this disease each year, as well.
Kyra Vidas ’18 is a handball and rugby player for the College. Her mother, Emily Vidas— a huge Forester Fanatic—is a breast cancer survivor after she was diagnosed in 2011 when Kyra was still in high school.
“This put a huge dent in my life,” Kyra said. “I was young, and because she was the first one diagnosed in our family, it was tough. No one knew what to expect or what was going to happen. My mother was able to get her surgery and find out she had Stage 1 breast cancer. Luckily, we caught it early and she was able to beat it.”
For those who do not know, Kyra’s favorite color is pink. From her Ugg Boots and half her sneaker collection, to her laptop case and backpack, she wears pink on a daily basis. She will always continue to rep the Breast Cancer Awareness color in honor of her mom.
Forester Athletics does not limit its support for Breast Cancer Awareness to just the month of October. Every February, the College’s Athletic Department celebrates National Girls and Women in Sports Day, where females attend a day filled with free games, fitness classes, activities, and health/wellness lessons to promote early detection and breast cancer awareness to the community.
This April, the College will host its annual Relay for Life, the 24-hour event to honor those affected by cancer, in the Sports and Recreation Center.
Whether it’s athletic teams wearing pink and performing in Play for the Cure games, or events dedicated to raising awareness, the College will continuously strive in supporting the fight against breast cancer.
Frankie Corrado’18 can be reached at corradofm@mx.lakeforest.edu
