My best Community Press article so far this summer!!

Bulldogs battle Ursuline, cancer in match
BY JEFF ELKUS EASTERNHILLS@COMMUNITYPRESS.COM

The St. Ursula Bulldogs took the volleyball court against fierce rival Ursuline in a matchup of Girls Greater Cincinnati League powerhouses on Sept. 11, as both teams took part in their first annual "Volley for the Cure" game.
Although St. Ursula took the contest in five games, the match was hardly the most important thing for both sides.
"You dream about that as a player to play in a game with over 1,000 people here tonight," said head coach Julie Perry of Fairfax.
One of Perry's players, junior outside hitter Courtney Gagnon, from Western Hills, lost her mother, Ann, to cancer last season after a 10-year battle.
"This year we dedicated the match to Courtney's mom," Perry said. Hanging in the gym during the match was a sign which read, "Tonight we play for Ann Gagnon."
In addition, much of the crowd donned pink T-shirts sold by all of the players on the freshman, junior varsity and varsity teams. A raffle was also held for donated items such as a television and iPod.
"It was really neat because we challenged them to sell so many T-shirts and they came out and sold tons of T-shirts - more than we ever expected," Perry said.
According to Perry, the fans were amazing and didn't stop yelling all night as Courtney hit the last ball of the night, capping off the physical confrontation.
"It was our way of giving back to the community. What was so cool about it was that the whole school got involved," Perry said.
Playing in front of such a large crowd was exciting for the team and Perry realized just how far the impact of breast cancer reaches.
"It just touches so many lives. Mrs. Gagnon taught us how to live and she would get out of the hospital and come to Courtney's games."
The first "Volley for the Cure" match was more successful than anyone every imagined and Perry commends the effort it took to get there.
"You start something and little do you know how much of a snowball effect it could have and how now even the colleges in Ohio are doing this," said Perry.
Purcell Marian stepped into a gym adorned in pink from head to toe-pink on the basketball hoops, pink draped from the ceiling, pink on the scoreboard... pink everywhere.
The "Volley for the Cure" event tends to have that effect. The fight to help find a cure for cancer by raising money for breast cancer research took place Sept. 11 as Roger Bacon battled the Cavaliers in a GGCL contest.
"We had a good turnout at Purcell Marian. The girls loved it; it is for a great cause and it was good experience for both teams," said head coach Dan Wanstrath from Silverton.
The event was one of the first in the Cincinnati area along with St. Ursula, with more to come later this month and the beginning of October.
The selling of "Volley for the Cure" T-shirts is now a staple at every one of the matches that are a part of the now state-wide community program. However, the girls on the Purcell Marian team took it a step further and promoted the event themselves. They posted flyers everywhere at school and even on their cars and promoted it during morning announcements.
"It speaks volumes of my seniors and their wanting to be leaders and doing everything they can to help people out," Wanstrath said.
More than 400 people poured into the gym, easily eclipsing the average attendance of 75 people per match.
"The high school is well known for their involvement in the community around here-this even extends it more with the whole high school," Wanstrath said.
Purcell Marian dropped the match to their rival, but as Wanstrath said, the match was secondary on this night.
"It (the event) showed that the two schools can put aside their rivalries and come together for a greater cause and both teams played hard volleyball and they showed the fans a good time," Wanstrath said.
The Cavaliers did have a member of their athletic community personally impacted by breast cancer.
Athletic Director Tom Stickley's mother and sister are survivors of breast cancer, making the match even more meaningful. Wanstrath felt like the event made the girls extra excited for their game since they had a chance to make a difference.
"It helps expose the girls to the realization of breast cancer and there needs to be change and research money is needed to help find a cure for this," said Wanstrath.