Surrounded by a sea of pink, U-High volleyball teams played in their annual Dig Pink games on Oct. 17 to raise money for breast cancer research. All three teams lost in two sets, with the varsity game held in Upper Kovler at 6 p.m. against IC Catholic Prep. The games raised $526 from just donations, and are estimated to have raised about $1,500 with the addition of T-shirt sales.

All donations and money raised from team shirts will be donated to the Side-Out Foundation, an organization that funds breast cancer research through volleyball events.

In an annual tradition of honoring a breast cancer survivor, Cynthia Estes, grandmother of ninth grader Megan Williams on the freshman/sophomore team, stepped onto the court to receive flowers. Coach Lisa Kirchhoff introduced Ms. Williams, and talked about her own experience with breast cancer, prompting a rousing applause.

In the week leading up to the event, the volleyball teams advertised Dig Pink through signs and a raffle to win a candy prize.

Varsity captain Kylie Carter, a junior, was inspired by how Dig Pink brings together both the volleyball teams and the U-High community.

“Being on a team can be hard sometimes,” Kylie said, “like having a common perspective, but we all agree that this is a really important cause and everyone wants to do something to help.”

Ian Taylor, U-High English teacher and father of varsity captain Zora Peek-Taylor, expressed the importance of the event to advance cancer research.

“It affects a lot of people and generationally,” Mr. Taylor said, “so the more research they can do to figure that out the better it is to sort of solve that problem.”