Blue Devil Girls' Track Declares
War on Cancer
These teenagers and their coaches have declared war on cancer. The Huntington High School girls' track and field team heard touching testimonials from its head coach and a team member before presenting a check to the American Cancer Society and twice circling the track silently as a group while Melissa Etheridge's "Run for Life" song played over the Blue Devil Stadium public address system.
The ceremony took place prior to last week's Senior Day meet against visiting Bellport. A crowd of about 150 was in the stands on a cold, cloudy afternoon for the culmination of Huntington's participation in the Coaches vs. Cancer campaign. The initiative was presented to Suffolk coaches during a pre-season spring meeting.
"I knew the second I heard about it that it was something I wanted the team to participate in," said Jennifer Fudens, Huntington's first year head coach. The goal of the initiative is to increase cancer awareness and promote healthy living among students, faculty, staff, fans and the community through year-round educational efforts, fundraising activities and advocacy programs.
"I believe that a great athletic program must have an overriding purpose that teaches its athletes life lessons beyond just winning," Fudens said. The coach asked for and received the blessing of Georgia McCarthy, Huntington's district director of athletics to move ahead with the initiative. Team members were invited to send out 10 fundraising letters explaining the cause others and seeking their support. The donations started pouring in shortly after the letters went out.
"Cancer awareness and research has always been a cause close to my heart, but last summer it hit me like a ton of bricks when my grandmother lost her battle with cancer," Fudens said. "It is with her and all those that are battling cancer now, and all those that have lost their lives to cancer, that the team came together to achieve something monumental."
The Blue Devils raised more than $3,000. A mock check was presented to Diane Nicholson, a representative of the American Cancer Society, who expressed her appreciation to the Huntington team for participating in the initiative.
Fudens and assistant coach Kevin Thorbourne decided they wanted to honor one of their own in a special way during the event that played out on the track in front of the bleachers. They chose freshman team member Samantha Glicker's mother, Joyce, who has battled breast cancer for more than 12 years.
Samantha Glicker took the microphone to address the crowd and found it next to impossible to contain her emotions while expressing some touching sentiments about her mom, who joined her daughter on the track for a long, tight embrace.
"It was a pleasure for Sam and the Huntington track and field team to honor Joyce in such a powerful way," Fudens said. "We wanted her to know that she is in our thoughts and prayers and that we hope to honor her cancer-free in the very near future."
Perhaps the most emotional moment of all came when the entire team jogged two laps silently around the track with Etheridge's song playing out over the complex. As the teenagers glided along, more than a few folks in the crowd got choked up. "They ran in honor and memory of all those that we love and that we've lost to cancer," Fudens said. "They are an incredible group of young ladies that I am so proud to coach."