Last Thursday, OU’s basketball teams dedicated their games to a life-saving cause.
Ottawa University’s Pink Zone night was a night the school dedicated to raising money to help fight breast cancer.
“Pink Zone was initiated by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association as a big cause to bring awareness to the disease and raise money to get a cure,” Women’s Head Coach Bruce Tate said.
Tate said the effort for Pink Zone was something that, as a conference, each school in the
KCAC would dedicate a night to breast cancer awareness. Depending on the school, some teams also wore pink jerseys or used a pink basketball to raise funds outside flat donations.
“I think every little bit helps,” Junior Maggie Hasenkamp said. “Since this was done at other schools as well, I think overall it has made a difference. As a team we wore pink shorts, pink shoe inserts, pink shoelaces and pink pre-rap in our hair to serve as headbands.”
Along with the Lady Braves, the men’s team, opponents, workers at the game and student body wore pink.
Prior to the game pink t-shirts were sold also as proceeds to help find a cure.
Tate said Pink boxes were set outside Wilson Field House on Feb. 20 also, because the games usually draw a bigger crowd on Saturdays.
Assistant Athletics Director Tom Taldo saw the Pink Zone night as a good opportunity. He personally has no direct family members with breast cancer but does know a few friends with the disease.
“It’s a worthy cause, and we’re happy to support it,” Taldo said.
The WBCA started Pink Zone in 2007 “as an initiative to raise breast cancer awareness in women’s basketball, on campuses and in communities,” according to www.wbca.org.
“You never know what life brings you, and one day this could help you along with any one else that has cancer,” Hasenkamp said. “This night is also dedicated to the men and women that are fighting cancer and to those that have fought and survived.”
This year’s Pink Zone dates for 2010 were Feb. 12-21.