Pink jerseys worn to honor cancer victims, survivors

The Sidney Red Raider Girls Basketball team will soon be sporting pink jerseys for a pink night during the 2012 - 2013 season.

The jerseys aren’t really pink but rather white with pink trim and are approved by the Nebraska State Athletic Association (NSAA) for the girls to wear at a designated home game in honor of anyone who has battled or lost their life to cancer.

Shelby Price, Sidney High School secretary said the idea was Coach Tyler Shaw’s, but he declined to take credit for the idea.

“I don’t think I will take credit for it being my idea, I know teams have done it in the past and thought it would be a cool thing to do,” Shaw said.

“Coach Shaw talked about it last year and we are always doing different fundraisers, and he asked me if I would be interested in helping them do a pink jersey fundraiser,” Price said. “So, that is how it came about.”

The reason the coach wanted to participate in this event, which goes on in many other schools, is to honor his wife who had breast cancer for a year and, “I just think it’s good anything draws awareness to the fact that there are a lot more people that have had it or been affected by it (cancer) than people think.

“It was the start of basketball season we started talking and Jim Heeren likes to barbecue and we like to raise money for something that is needed and that is what we did. All proceeds will go toward purchasing jerseys,” Price said in reference to the date picked for the fundraiser and the type of fundraiser they are planning.

Both the boys and girls basketball teams are playing on the 29th against Mitchell, however, to help pay for the jerseys a fundraiser is being at the first of the game of the year, dinner being served starting at five and running until halftime.”

On the night’s halftime dinner menu for the fundraiser are barbecue pork sandwich, chips, beans and a dessert.

Price said there will also be a donation jar if people would prefer to give donations instead of eating.

“It is not a pink event itself, but a fundraiser within the game,” Price added.

“We just usually have one a year and it seems like it is always in February that we hit other teams’ pink nights too. We usually hit a couple of pink nights in February,” Shaw said. “We can only wear the jerseys at home, because there are rules about only wearing them at home. We have to wear white at home.”

If the fundraiser on the 29th does not bring in enough money to purchase the jerseys there is already a secondary plan in place.

“There are going to be some donors,” Shaw said.

“And if not then the parents are willing to step up again,” Price said, “and make the money we need to.”

So this year will not be the only year the girls’ basketball team uses the pink jerseys, Price said, “The jerseys will stay here with the school and be handed out each year with their regular jerseys. It keeps the girls from having to purchase t-shirts every year, and will be something the school will probably do for at least another 10 years or so.”

The Sidney’s pink night is scheduled now for Feb. 15, a home game for the girls against Alliance.

The number of girls on the basketball team this year is 30; nine freshman; 10 sophomores; five juniors; and six seniors.