JUDA - The Juda high school gym will be taking on various shades of pink Friday.
The Lady Panthers are hosting Barneveld in a Six Rivers East Conference matchup that will mean much more than just position in the standings. Friday's game will be an installment of Barneveld's "More than a Game" cancer awareness campaign.
"It kind of puts things in perspective a little bit. We can get all fired up about a game, but these (events) are some of the important thing ," Juda head coach Curt Brown said of the upcoming "More than a Game" contest. Players will wear pink T-shirts during warmups and the school will sell pink shirts to fans as way to raise money for breast cancer.
Last season, Barneveld played "Pink Out" games against Black Hawk to raise money for Madison's Gilda's Club, which is a support center for people coping with cancer treatments, and other cancer foundations. It was such a hit that Barneveld has continued the spectacle.
Juda picked up on the trend and held a few of its own cancer benefit games during the softball season
"I make sure our girls take a big role in this. And they are all fired up and are all for it. They definitely think it's a worthy cause," Brown said.
Throughout the season, Barneveld has raised money through penny wars and baby photo guessing games among other events.
"It's really the kind of the thing that the kids have gravitated to and put their arms around. They wear their pink T-shirts around school - even down to the grade-school kids - kindergarten kids even wear them to the games," Myers said.
The money raised throughout the season will be presented at a Feb. 25 showdown in Barneveld with Juda. According to Myers, that's when the final fundraising tallies will be made. There also will be a silent auction. Myers' team also will be wearing pink-lettering on their jerseys.
"It's our white jersey's with pink lettering. We didn't know if the WIAA would go for all-pink ones so we didn't push for that aspect very much. But they are our special jerseys and they will come out only for the special event," Myers said.
Money donated will go to numerous charities and organizations. Myers said that most of the money will go to local families in need of help along with the Gilda's Club.
"Our girls really look forward to playing in the big game - to be able to put the pink uniform on. It has a lot of meaning to some of them. There are some connections with family members throughout the year that have been touched by cancer. It's the big event of the year, they really look forward to it," Myers said.
Before Friday's games, pink T-shirts will be available for $12 and wristbands for $2. Bake sale goods also will be available for 50 cents to $1.
Anyone interested in donating money and will not be able to attend either Friday's game or the Feb. 25 contest can contact either high school, as well as Renee Meyer, a Barneveld health staff member, at meyer@barneveld.k12.wi.us.
The Lady Panthers are hosting Barneveld in a Six Rivers East Conference matchup that will mean much more than just position in the standings. Friday's game will be an installment of Barneveld's "More than a Game" cancer awareness campaign.
"It kind of puts things in perspective a little bit. We can get all fired up about a game, but these (events) are some of the important thing ," Juda head coach Curt Brown said of the upcoming "More than a Game" contest. Players will wear pink T-shirts during warmups and the school will sell pink shirts to fans as way to raise money for breast cancer.
Last season, Barneveld played "Pink Out" games against Black Hawk to raise money for Madison's Gilda's Club, which is a support center for people coping with cancer treatments, and other cancer foundations. It was such a hit that Barneveld has continued the spectacle.
Juda picked up on the trend and held a few of its own cancer benefit games during the softball season
"I make sure our girls take a big role in this. And they are all fired up and are all for it. They definitely think it's a worthy cause," Brown said.
Throughout the season, Barneveld has raised money through penny wars and baby photo guessing games among other events.
"It's really the kind of the thing that the kids have gravitated to and put their arms around. They wear their pink T-shirts around school - even down to the grade-school kids - kindergarten kids even wear them to the games," Myers said.
The money raised throughout the season will be presented at a Feb. 25 showdown in Barneveld with Juda. According to Myers, that's when the final fundraising tallies will be made. There also will be a silent auction. Myers' team also will be wearing pink-lettering on their jerseys.
"It's our white jersey's with pink lettering. We didn't know if the WIAA would go for all-pink ones so we didn't push for that aspect very much. But they are our special jerseys and they will come out only for the special event," Myers said.
Money donated will go to numerous charities and organizations. Myers said that most of the money will go to local families in need of help along with the Gilda's Club.
"Our girls really look forward to playing in the big game - to be able to put the pink uniform on. It has a lot of meaning to some of them. There are some connections with family members throughout the year that have been touched by cancer. It's the big event of the year, they really look forward to it," Myers said.
Before Friday's games, pink T-shirts will be available for $12 and wristbands for $2. Bake sale goods also will be available for 50 cents to $1.
Anyone interested in donating money and will not be able to attend either Friday's game or the Feb. 25 contest can contact either high school, as well as Renee Meyer, a Barneveld health staff member, at meyer@barneveld.k12.wi.us.
