Boxer and actor Randall “Tex” Cobb once said “Courage isn’t the absence of fear; it’s the dealing with it.” Fear has the potential to motivate and encourage you, something Julie Matthews understands well. Julie is the special projects coordinator at The Side-Out Foundation, the non-profit organization behind the Dig Pink events. She is also a two-time cancer survivor.

In 2005, Julie returned from a trip to Quito, Ecuador, pale and fatigued. What should have been a celebratory post-graduate school vacation had been an exhausting two week sentence in a foreign country. Everyone assumed it was altitude sickness, but blood tests suggested something far more alarming. Within an hour or so of her visit to the emergency room, Julie was diagnosed with leukemia, a cancer of the blood.

Fear overwhelmed not only Julie, but her family and friends as well. How could a 27-year-old healthy young woman suddenly have cancer? She was immediately admitted to the hospital, where she lived for almost a month while she received chemotherapy and multiple blood and platelet transfusions.

What helped Julie and her loved ones cope was acknowledging the fear that pervaded each day and asking themselves what they could do to suppress it. Julie’s biggest fear was the future. Would she survive this illness? If she survived it, would she ever truly feel well again? Would she be able to start her own family someday?

She allowed herself to cry and to think about the worst case scenario, which would be death. She then asked herself, “What can I do to prevent it”? Her answer was always the same: listen to the doctors, learn to understand how her body should feel, eat well, walk her daily 20 laps around the ward and visualize healing and remission. Aside from that, she had no control over the outcome. When Julie and her family learned to accept the uncertain, they were free to appreciate the certainties: the refreshing joy of laughter, the comfort of a hug, the unbridled enthusiasm of Julie’s beloved dogs, to mention just a few.

Julie went into remission not long after her chemotherapy began. Three and a half years later, she relapsed. She received a stem cell transplant from one of her sisters who was a perfect cellular match. It has been 3 years and 4 months since her transplant and she is doing well. Although she was disappointed not to be here to share her story with you personally, she is delighted to be spending the weekend babysitting her 1-year-old niece. Several years ago, she wasn’t sure she would ever have the opportunity to meet future nieces and nephews.

Julie’s story reminds us that fear can be managed and courage created, a lesson that can be applied to any situation. Remember your own strength as you play this weekend and accept your fears as a crucial element to building courage.
Julie is a big fan of quotes and she asked that I finish this talk with one from Thucydides: “The bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them, glory and danger alike, and yet notwithstanding, go out and meet it.”

Now let’s go tame some fears and claim some glory!!

Many young adults feel overwhelmed and insignificant as they ponder thoughts of what life past high school will hold for them. The pressure of college and career choices can seem daunting and insurmountable. I felt exactly this way during the summer of 2010. I had no idea that my love for volleyball, the support of my small town community and the hand of God would clearly define my life’s path within a few short months.

The 2010 Somerset Dig Pink Event changed me, my teammates and gave my community a confidence in its youth that had previously not been exhibited. During our early summer Dig Pink planning sessions the team set realistic fundraising goals, we could not have imagined that our efforts would nearly double the initial goal.

Amid a week of college tours for my planned engineering major, I began to have health problems. With volleyball camp and my senior year just days away, I found myself hospitalized for an emergency appendix removal and subsequent complications. In one devastating week, I went from planning to crush volleyballs to simply being crushed. My senior volleyball season was lost. This blessing in disguise literaily forced me to slow down and begin focusing on others. Since I couldn’t lead my team on the court I poured my heart and soul into our senior project Dig Pink Event.

My team of eight seniors girls only needed the rudder my injury provided to reach a goal no one thought possible in a very small, economically challenged town like Somerset. My injury prevented me from showing a pig I had raised through 4H at our County Fair, so my grandmother kindly bought it and donated it to our Dig Pink event. We solicited other business donations and with the freezer of pork, we had a very successful raffle event. Coin collection containers at businesses all over the county were a great way to raise money and also get breast cancer pamphlets from the local oncology unit distributed. I met with the Mayor to get borough approval for the first ever Dig Pink Coin Toss held on the streets of our uptown. Because we are a Pennsylvania Turnpike exit we received donations and encouragement from people all over the world. lt was an electrifying experience for our team and the media coverage that ensued brought with it breast cancer articles in local and school newspapers. Bake good sales and theme baskets raffles set the stage for our event. We asked the community to help us “Black Out” Breast Cancer and designed and sold original t-shirts.

On the evening of October 25, 20I0 our local gymnasium was truly blacked out! Everyone, including the opposing team and their parents, wore black. When game time arrived, we turned off the gym lights and everyone activated the individual glow sticks they were given upon entering the gym. Words can’t describe the amazing energy present in that gym as we shared statistics on breast cancer and patient survival. In an atmosphere of hundreds of silent people all holding glow sticks, I was so very proud to be chosen by my team to welcome everyone and reveal our fundraising efforts. When I announced that we had surpassed $7,000 in donations the whole town erupted. No one will ever remember who won that game because breast cancer research was the winner. My team won the appreciation and respect of our entire community because we never stopped trying to reach an insurmountable goal.

Following our graduation, all eight volleyball seniors said that the feeling of the Dig Pink Event was their favorite high school accomplishment. For me personally, the engineering career I had planned changed to a calling to become a nurse. I am currently in the Honors Nursing Program at Carlow University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and after spending time at the Somerset Oncology Center, I am considering a career in oncology nursing.

In a small town like mine traditions are something that is easy to come by. Our volleyball team has created a legacy where our community now expects our members to raise money for breast cancer research. During this whole process I have realized that through the ups and downs in life the one thing that should stay consistent is your drive to help others. My teammates and I were able to do this on a community level and create what hopefully continues as a long standing tradition. We have proven that eight young women can make a difference in the world and that is something that will always be a part of who I am.

Although this study was not funded by The Side-Out Foundation, Side-Out is incredibly proud to be associated with CAPMM through research in related clinical trials for breast cancer (see the Side-Out Protocol and I-SPY 2). The findings of the inflammatory breast cancer study may be put to use in the second phase of the Side-Out Protocol.

When it comes to hosting Dig Pink rallies, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and Desert Vista High School are considered veteran experts! Both schools have years of experience uniting their communities for The Side-Out Foundation’s Dig Pink events. Although they have each raised very large sums of money for Side-Out’s breast cancer initiatives (UNC Charlotte raised over $10,000 in 2010 and Desert Vista raised upwards of $13,000!), that is not the only way their success is measured.

Both teams are extremely active in their communities. When they combine their creativity with hard work and community involvement, they create a Dig Pink program that only gets stronger with each passing year. They offer the following advice for schools interested in building their own Dig Pink programs.

UNC Charlotte (Charlotte, NC):
Perhaps before you read the advice of some UNC Charlotte players, you should watch the 2010 Dig Pink Jail & Bail video. You can sense the team’s fun nature and feel the energy they put into the campaign.

Bianca Rouse is a junior outside hitter at UNC Charlotte. Two thousand eleven will be her third year doing Dig Pink, and she credits the success of their Dig Pink events to her team’s ability to spread the word to the community: “We take the time and we put it out there: flyers, ball games, community events. [The Dig Pink event] is also helpful in getting the word out about our team.”

Bianca stressed the willingness of her team to approach strangers for donations. This included walking the rows of a parking lot outside a Carolina Panthers football game, teaming up with Chick-fil-A to approach their customers and reaching out to the entire university community through the team’s affiliation with other sports teams.

Sheri Davis is a senior setter for UNC Charlotte. Her very wise advice is: “You have to start somewhere. Schools holding their first Dig Pink event should know that the first year will probably not be their biggest event. They should begin networking and building connections. Find someone who has experience with fundraising.”

Sheri is very thankful for the encouragement and participation of other campus groups; sororities, fraternities and various departments have made Dig Pink an important part of their community outreach. Their support has turned the Dig Pink game into the biggest crowd of the season. As she said, “it is the people and the community that make our event successful.”

Leah Leventhal, a senior outside, rightside hitter at UNC Charlotte, is getting ready for her fourth year of Dig Pink! She believes chemistry is what makes her UNC Charlotte team shine. “We’re so full of personality and I think that makes it really easy. Our coaches work really hard to make sure we have good team chemistry and this comes in handy when we’re trying to host a successful event.”

Her most essential advice is to “set goals, but not limits”: “You don’t get anywhere by saying ‘let’s try to be fourth again!’ Don’t settle for just raising $500. Really strive! People out there are willing to donate, people are willing to help. Remember that ‘no’ today doesn’t mean ‘no’ forever. Persistence is key. Also, make it fun! Make it goofy and interesting like the Jail & Bail video. Think of something creative and fun and make it your own.”

Watch this video to learn more about the UNC Charlotte volleyball team!

Desert Vista High School (Phoenix, AZ):
Watch the 2010 Dig Pink in Tukee video!

Riley Smith is a senior setter and defensive specialist at Desert Vista High School. One of her favorite aspects of the yearly Dig Pink game Desert Vista plays against their archrival Mountain Pointe is the crowd: “There are probably 2,000 people that come out to the Dig Pink game, one of the games that most people from both schools come to.”

Riley points out that the schools make the crowd a focal point during the game, engaging them in between matches with speakers and fun contests to involve children. They also created a Dig Pink trophy that is awarded to whichever team sells the most raffle tickets. Known as “Dig Pink in Tukee”, the game is the highlight of the season for Desert Vista and Mountain Pointe, the ultimate community effort.

by Becca Hannigan
Player, North Atlanta Volleyball Club (GA)

I never imagined a day when I would traipse through an overwhelming haze of pink with my head held high and a pleasant grin on my face. That color for me is usually an automatic upset stomach and a dose of Tums or Advil, but on the 2nd day of Big South, its effect was quite the opposite. Pink became more than just the combination of red and white paint, or a sad reminder of unromantic Valentine’s Days of the past; it was unity. It was solidarity, support for an honorable cause. Not only that, but it was everywhere. From special uniforms to sparkle headbands, girls, boys, women, and men alike went out of their way to display their concern for a harsh reality and their hope for a better tomorrow.

What was the cause of this pink epidemic? It was the celebration of the Side-Out Foundation’s massive Dig Pink fundraiser for breast cancer research. The main event was called Big South, the largest volleyball tournament in the Southeast region of the United States—obviously a good opportunity to raise support for such a worthy cause.

The Side-Out Foundation was founded by Rick Dunetz, a volleyball coach who turned to his volleyball team for support in raising money for his mom’s fight against breast cancer. His team grew stronger in many ways, persevering through his hardship and learning the importance of determination and hope. They took these good lessons and successfully presented them on the court, winning the district championship title for the first time in the school’s history. Dunetz wanted other teams to experience the same power of giving and growing. He opened up the challenge of raising money to fight breast cancer to clubs nationwide. My club, North Atlanta, had been actively participating in the fundraiser for years. I first played for North Atlanta in the 2009-2010 season under the coaching of June Stiles, and her passionate involvement gave me a new perspective on the fundraiser, which eventually altered my perspective on life. It taught me an indelible lesson about character and hope.

Upon arriving at our court at Big South, I noticed Coach June—who was also overcoming her aversion to pink by covering herself from head to toe in it—bore that word on her shirt: hope. Hope. Other than being a catchy campaign slogan for President Obama, what does it mean, realistically?

Before Dig Pink, I saw hope as an abstract ideology, more conceptual than concrete. It was an intuitive—but not always realistic—desire for something bigger, better, or brighter. I’d always thought of it as something that can falter and is fleeting. But I learned through my experience with Dig Pink that hope is infinitely more than that. It perseveres. Doubt and worry can be overcome by its selfless faith. Hope took a more tangible form for me when people responded fiscally by pulling out their wallets and contributing to the cause. I saw it in the actions of my friends and family, along with the other thousands of supporters of Dig Pink through their contributions of time and money. The Dig Pink foundation would not exist without hope. And now, in my mind, nothing shouts hope louder than the rosy pink shirts or the Side-Out Foundation logo.

The girls on my team were very close. Getting to know each other on the court was not a problem, and after several conversations, we thought we knew quite a bit about each other’s interests and lives off the court. But the Dig Pink fundraiser presented us with a unique opportunity to see more of our personalities and character. We were given a challenge: to raise the most money in the club. How would we respond? I often wondered, and I was curious to see more of the heart and soul of the team. What I saw was more than I expected. We raised $3700, which was not only the most of any team in the club, but the most of any team in the nation. So yes, a group of nine hormonal and sometimes selfish 16-year-olds were willing to take a little hammer and break open their piggy banks (and the piggy banks of those around them) to make a point. Now the credit is not only to be given to us girls, because a vast majority of it belongs to our coach. She was the motivating factor behind us, incessantly nagging, poking, pushing, and driving us to raise more and more and more. So we did. And then we stepped back, and we were amazed.

It happened again, the very next year. I had my doubts, because it’s hard to repeat a good thing twice and even harder to repeat an incredible thing twice. But to my astonishment, we made it happen even bigger and better than before. We delved into it the second time around with a clearer understanding of our capabilities, and we raised $7500. After tasting the sweet satisfaction of making a difference the year before, we obviously had an even greater appetite for impacting others again.

Do not be mistaken; none of what I say about my team’s great money-raising spree is for the purpose of self-glorification or vanity. I’m not trying to point out how well we did, or that we were the top selling team in the nation for two years in a row (which sounds conceited, I know), but I’m trying to show how affecting it was. The competitive edge in our team molded into a compassionate urge to accomplish something bigger than ourselves. What began as a contest quickly sprouted into a blessing, as we were blown away by our ability to actually do something of great worth for people who are in need. If anything, it was a humbling experience.

I was affected by the impact of cancer on countless lives, although I have not directly experienced a hardship or loss from breast cancer. I am friends with several survivors, by God’s good grace. My close friend of nine years went through a scare with her mother, but we thank God that she made it through. Now, her mom carries one of the torches during the luminary walk at Relay for Life. Relay (a large fundraising event for the American Cancer Society) is another incredible event that has been part of my life for the past few years. I was moved by the massive support from students and adults all over the county, and I was shocked by the number of people affected by cancer.

Raising money for Dig Pink brought us together. It brought others together too, and led to a greater realization that it’s hard to know where others are coming from and what they’ve been through. A few days after my coach told us about the fundraising, I walked around school with a can to collect spare change. Several students stepped forward and contributed a few quarters or dimes. This sounds like little, but in the school world with 50 cent vending machines, it’s a lot. It made me wonder what their motivation was. Had they had first-hand experience with a close family member fighting breast cancer? Were they, too, compelled to do something about the crippling disease that attacks so many? I felt a sense of pride swell in me when my fellow students were willing to put forth some of what little they had to support something massive. I wondered the same things about my math teacher when she willingly wrote a check to Side-Out. I marveled at the depth or lack of human connection—while I spent time in her classroom every day for 55 minutes and talked to her regularly, how much did I really know about her? How much did I know about any of the thousands of people I encountered every day? She was one of my favorite teachers, and I had no idea if she had battled breast cancer, or if her mother or sister had. Despite our apparently lacking relationship, we shared something: we wanted to do what we could to bring an end to cancer’s relentless reign. For those moments, we had something in common, more than math or numbers or grades, and I felt stronger to feel the support of others who stood with me.

It’s hard to beat, that feeling. Standing together for something. Just ask anyone who has attended a college or pro football game. It’s that exhilarating, inexpressible rush that fills you when you’re standing in a mass of people who are wearing the same color as you, cheering for the same team as you. It doesn’t matter what you ate for lunch, or what work you have to come home to; all you can think about is how it feels to be a contributing part of something bigger than yourself. The only difference is that at Big South, everyone was on the same team, wearing the same color, and working to make a difference. When I was walking out of that gym on Saturday, all I could say was that I can’t wait to go home and dig up all the pink articles of clothing in my house to get ready for next year.

The idea of giving back through scholarships and awards seemed the perfect way for The Side-Out Foundation to honor those students who approach Dig Pink® events as more than just fundraisers. The Side-Out Ambassador Program (SOAP) was created to recognize students who organize breast cancer awareness rallies and fundraisers within their schools, but who also work hard to garner the support of entire communities.

The Side-Out Foundation is a small organization of less than ten employees. For the past three years, they marveled at the ingenuity, compassion and dedication of volleyball players who have made it their mission to support breast cancer research and patient services. Although certificates and plaques make for wonderful keepsakes, Side-Out wanted to do more. Talk of scholarships and letters of recommendation eventually led to the creation of SOAP, and the entire Side-Out team is proud to offer the following awards to students who take the words “team”, “leadership” and “commitment” beyond the volleyball courts.

The Side-Out Ambassador Program Scholarship Award
The Side-Out Ambassador Program Community Service Award
The Side-Out/AVCA National Dig Pink® Award

Rick Dunetz, founder of The Side-Out Foundation explains why this new program is so important: “Students are constantly pressured with schoolwork, after school activities/sports and plans for the future. When they give their own time and energy to benefit others, they deserve to be recognized. And if their dedication and efforts stand out among others, then they deserve to be rewarded. This is why we created SOAP.”

Funds for the Scholarship Award will come from the Gloria Dunetz Memorial Scholarship Fund. Gloria was Rick’s mom and her experience with breast cancer is what prompted Rick and his dad, Bryant, to create Side-Out in 2004.

If you are interested in applying for the 2011 Side-Out Ambassador Program awards, fill out the online application. Contact Julie Matthews with any questions.

Many people embrace the concept of “living in the moment”, some people do their best to adopt it, but very few people actually live it. It seems that we get too bogged down with daily to-do lists and future plans to truly appreciate the beauty in each day.

It is so easy to suggest that someone “appreciate the simple things”, but it is much harder to offer any concrete way to learn how to do that. Perhaps the key lies in awareness. James Thurber wrote “Let us not look back in anger, nor forward in fear, but around in awareness.” Awareness includes all that surrounds us: it may be beautiful (a colorful wildflower), silly (two friends in fits of laughter) or serious (a cherished relationship).

The below post was written by a patient with metastatic breast cancer, and it was too beautiful not to share with you. She wrote it in response to a question about what a cancer diagnosis can teach the patient. She explains so eloquently what it means to value the routine occurrences that fill our daily lives and she describes exactly what it feels like to be fully aware of all that surrounds you.

(shared here with author’s permission)
“I have had a couple of personal, unforgettable moments since I have been living with mets (metastatic cancer). One day, I went to the local grocery store to pick up something for dinner. As I got out of my car, I noticed all the folks walking in the parking lot — some towards the stores, some away from the stores. On previous occasions in groups of people unknown to me, I had sometimes felt “different” from them knowing I had a terminal disease. But at this moment, I looked at these people and felt an overwhelming love and awareness flow from me for them. I felt how wonderful it was that these folks were just going about their everyday lives and that I was a part of it. I felt they were all very dear to me. I also felt that I knew that some of them were very troubled and unsure in their lives and  that I was not really different from them, just that our concerns and fears were different, but somehow the same. I felt warm and embracing towards these strangers. It was a most beautiful, unexpected moment for me.

Would it have happened without the cancer diagnosis. I don’t really know, but I doubt that it would have. I made changes in my life as a result of the diagnosis — I retired early, let myself ponder more and accomplish less. I changed my life in many significant and subtle ways. We all know that it is not easy to live with this diagnosis, the treatments, the periods of illness and pain, the wondering how long we will live and what kind of death we will have. But for me, there are moments when looking death in the face has made certain moments of life a little bit sweeter.”

Take a moment to soak up her words, and then give yourself the freedom to appreciate the moments that you always viewed as mundane. You will find they are far from ordinary and you will discover that everyone is facing his/her own challenge. Our capacity to cope makes us pretty remarkable creatures, and if we can learn to focus on the present, we can better understand the gift that life is.

The program consists of three award opportunities: the Side-Out Community Service Award, the Side-Out Scholarship Award and the Side-Out/AVCA National Dig Pink Award. Requirements vary for each award, but all of them encourage community involvement and breast cancer education.

Each applicant must complete a specific process and checklist of items to be eligible for the awards. All applications are due by Friday, November 16th, 2012. Winners will be notified by Friday, December 14th, 2012. Review board members will be announced by the end of June 2012. Click here to fill out an application.

For more information, contact Julie Matthews.

About three weeks ago, several of us at Side-Out attended The National Breast Cancer Coalition’s (NBCC) Annual Advocacy Training Conference in Washington, DC (Saturday, April 30th through Tuesday, May 3rd). If you haven’t heard about it yet, NBCC set a deadline for the end of breast cancer. In a document explaining the deadline, the organization writes “Our understanding of breast cancer has increased dramatically, but for people facing breast cancer, very little has changed…more of the same will not end breast cancer” (Breast Cancer Deadline: Why Now?). When is the deadline? January 2020.

What most impressed us about the conference was the level of knowledge each attendee had. Many were breast cancer survivors, some were health care professionals, some were students interested in advocacy and health care and all were breast cancer advocates. Each group contributed an essential viewpoint to the goal of the conference: “Changing the Conversation”.

We have learned an incredible amount about breast cancer through our work at Side-Out. We realized that pink is controversial and the word “survivor” is subjective. We discovered that metastatic breast cancer has no cure and the research conducted on this stage of the disease is minimal. We also came to understand the devastation of the disease when Gloria Dunetz died after living with metastatic breast cancer for six years.

Because of all this newfound knowledge, we felt a bit star-struck when we saw the NBCC conference speaking lineup: Sharon Begley, Dr. Susan Love, Musa Mayer, Joy Simha, Dr. Dennis Slamon, Dr. Patricia Steeg and of course Fran Visco (among many other highly respected individuals). The various plenary sessions and workshops were informative, thought-provoking and overwhelming (only in the sense that our brains were exhausted by the end!).

Aside from the 2020 deadline, the recurring theme throughout the conference was, as a speaker said in the First-time Attendee Orientation, “we’re not here for our disease…we’re here for the next generation”. So many of Side-Out’s ideals seemed in line with what NBCC espouses. Throughout the conference, Rick Dunetz (Side-Out’s founder and executive director) kept nudging me with his elbow and nodding his head, excited about the parallels of thought between Side-Out and presenters at the conference. Speakers and panelists discussed what changes need to be made to reach the deadline, changes that Rick and his dad, Bryant, have discussed many times. Some of the main ones were:

• Re-evaluate research incentives (should researchers really have to choose their research based on what is most likely to get published and what may earn them tenure?)
• Share information (it seems intuitive that sharing theories and discoveries (both failed and successful) will be what leads to scientific breakthroughs) – “There is no limit to the good a man can do, if he doesn’t care who gets the credit.”, Benjamin Jowett
• Focus on the effectiveness of drugs (even when a drug doesn’t show much promise, if it’s in the works in a drug company, that company will most likely put it through)
• Direct the research (“We have to change the culture of science-it’s not about the amount of money…we need to direct the research.”, Dr. Susan Love)

Because Side-Out’s mission involves educating and motivating the next generation, we were especially interested in learning how students can get involved with breast cancer advocacy. We have been working with Kathryn Johnson (NBCC Field Organization Manager) in efforts to create a program for students participating in our events. This partnership will allow participants the opportunity to apply for internships and to bring advocacy to their school campuses.

Kathryn heads NBCC’s Emerging Leaders program, the section of the organization devoted to training young adults in the art of advocacy. The first day of the conference, Nila and I attended the Emerging Leaders Meet-up, and we were thrilled to see a roomful of students from various parts of the US (and one from China!). Many of them were from Western Oregon University as part of a very popular course in public health issues related to breast cancer. WOU professor Jessica Henderson created an internship several years ago, the inspiration behind the college initiative portion of the Emerging Leaders program. Her students have been participating in the conference for seven years.

Each student in the room exuded passion and knowledge, and it was impossible not to feel encouraged simply by being in their presence. Side-Out constituents would make for an incredible addition to the group, and we look forward to introducing advocacy education to all of you who are interested in becoming involved. I am sure you will feel just as we did when we left the conference: empowered, excited and proud to be part of a movement to challenge the status quo.

New Side-Out Foundation regional director has Nebraska roots, hopes to expand Dig Pink participation in state

OMAHA – Wisner-Pilger head volleyball coach, Jean Groth, is eager to work with the new Side-Out Foundation representative in the state of Nebraska.

It’s not just because Tim Anderson is a former student of hers and also helps coach her club program at Wisner-Pilger.

Instead, it is because of Anderson’s passion for volleyball and the important role that the Side-Out Foundation plays in the battle to end breast cancer through Dig Pink® volleyball events.

“I feel that The Side-Out Foundation is very fortunate to have hired Tim,” Groth said. “He will be an incredible advocate for the volleyball world and its alliance with the movement for breast cancer awareness and education. Tim’s position with The Side-Out Foundation is a perfect fit for him. It combines his affinity for volleyball with his intent to make a significant impact on the battle against breast cancer. His efforts are focused in and around helping teams organize Dig Pink events in the volleyball world.”

Groth said Anderson has helped her to realize how important the Dig Pink events can be for teams.

“Last year Wisner-Pilger held a ‘pink-out’ during one of our volleyball matches,” Groth said. “It was held in October in conjunction with Breast Cancer Awareness Month at our school. After the match, I felt a bit conflicted as I felt we recognized breast cancer…but did nothing else.

“In my search for significance regarding the awareness of breast cancer, I felt my prayers were answered when Tim took this position with Side-Out earlier this year. He has shared with us many ways in which the volleyball community can pool its talents to aid the cause. Side-Out is not just a charity. Side-Out is committed to the unification of the sport of volleyball and its alliance with the movement for breast cancer awareness and education. Tim is educating coaches that one of the biggest benefits in hosting a Dig Pink event are the life skills that can aid our teams in personal times of adversity. Another byproduct is the education given to student athletes on the importance of being a ‘life coach’ to those in need.”

Anderson, a Wisner-Pilger High School graduate, officially started in his regional position of promoting The Side-Out Foundation’s Dig Pink cause for cancer research in the state of Nebraska and surrounding states in March 2011. He is one of six regional liaisons that The Side-Out Foundation has and his Midwest territory includes not only Nebraska, but also Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

“Tim’s goal is to educate our potential constituents about The Side-Out Foundation’s mission, ask for their involvement and be available to provide support,” said Janice Kruger, who is the national event coordinator for The Side-Out Foundation. “We have a unique online system built to help each of the teams who wish to join us in our mission. We encourage all participants to emphasize awareness, education and if possible, fundraising to help us support our Side-Out Protocol clinical trial.

“Tim’s responsibilities involve being the contact person for each state’s USAV club, elementary, middle school, high school, college, and university programs that wish to advance clinical trials, increase compassionate support services and educate communities, thus making a significant and identifiable impact in the breast cancer community. Events typically involve the sport of volleyball but we encourage all school organizations to become involved.”

In 2010, Kruger said there were 17 high school teams that held Dig Pink events in Nebraska during Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October. Additionally, some club teams have held Dig Pink events, including the Pinnacle Club that Anderson coaches in.

Kruger is a former Husker volleyball player and a Central Community College-Columbus and University of Nebraska at Omaha head coach. Kruger, who retired in 2007 from the University of Maryland with 756 career victories, has been to Nebraska many times to speak about Dig Pink.

“I started out as a member of The Side-Out Foundation Board of Directors in 2007 while I was still coaching at the University of Maryland – College Park,” said Kruger, who graduated from Randolph High School and played for NU from 1973-76. “I became more involved as a volunteer in 2008 after retiring from collegiate coaching and transitioned into doing consulting work for the foundation until December 2009. In 2010 I was hired as a full time employee and began working as the Director of National Events.

“I wanted to stay connected to volleyball in some way and I was completely sold on The Side-Out Foundation after a lunch meeting with Bryant Dunetz, the COO of the foundation. His wife had breast cancer and his son Rick was working with his father to involve the sport Rick loved to coach, with the idea of bringing awareness, education and fundraising to breast cancer. The idea of working through the sport of volleyball and for a foundation who looked to do things differently really appealed to me. The Dunetz family is a compassionate family and I quickly knew I could help them with their new vision of looking at how we could work in the world of volleyball to address the disease of breast cancer.”

As the Side-Out Foundation has grown, it has expanded its staff to include people like Anderson at a more local level to call upon schools and coaches.

Anderson said when he considered the opening, he liked the fact that it was volleyball related and it was for a good cause.

“It was a position where I could use my fundraising background as well as my volleyball knowledge and make a difference,” Anderson said. “I was very impressed by their use of funds… specifically for clinical trials for women/men with metastatic breast cancer with the goal to find a cure. It was more than just ‘breast cancer research and finding a cure.’ I was able to visit and see the process that is involved by the scientists and doctors. Plus it was all centered around volleyball – my passion.”

Anderson has had an interest in volleyball as far back as Groth, who won her 600th career game in 2010, can remember. He credits her for a lot of his early interest.

“She is a volleyball genius,” Anderson said. “She has always taught that volleyball is more than just a game.”

Anderson lived in California from 1999 to 2008. While out there, he completed he master’s in sports management from Long Beach State and then worked as a development officer and coordinator of facilities for the Long Beach State athletic department for two years.

“I was able to see a lot of Long Beach State practices both men’s and women’s and attend most Big West Conference games,” said Anderson, who also worked for the Los Angeles Marathon and Lynne Cohen Foundation while living in California. “I also assisted with the 2004 NCAA Women’s Final 4 Volleyball Tourney in Long Beach.”

When he came back to Nebraska, Anderson got involved with the Pinnacle Volleyball Club and Wisner-Pilger High School program.

“He has volunteered to work with our club teams the past two off seasons, Groth said. “Last year he assisted with the Pinnacle Jrs. 17’s team from Wisner Pilger and this year he is with the Pinnacle Jrs. 15’s. It is difficult for non-profit USA volleyball programs to find volleyball knowledgeable individuals to work with your athletes during the off-season. That is why Tim is such a blessing to the program. In April, Tim ran a DIG PINK event at Wisner-Pilger’s Pinnacle Volleyball Tournament. It was a great tourney. During the season, Tim has been invaluable in his efforts to help run our scorer’s table at home matches and in scouting opponents on the road. As with the club teams; it is very difficult to find people to get involved in something that has no financial benefit for them personally. Tim is that individual.”

And now Anderson has his focus on reaching not only Wisner-Pilger players, but youth, high school and college coaches and players across the region.

“I hope to increase the participation – whether it be fundraising or awareness events – so that every high school and college/university is involved,” Anderson said. “I can’t stress enough that this is an initiative that is unique to the volleyball community. Much like there is a basketball initiative, The Side-Out Foundation and Dig Pink is volleyball.”

About The Side-Out Foundation

The Side-Out Foundation was established in 2004 to unite volleyball players and coaches and to have them work toward the common goal of furthering breast cancer awareness, education and patient services. Side-Out supports teams nationwide in their volleyball tournaments, clinics and other fundraising efforts. The foundation offers practical support for fundraising in addition to educational material for participants in order to help them become effective advocates for breast cancer. It contributes the funds to organizations that serve breast cancer patients, whether it be in the form of research, medical services or compassionate support.

The term side-out refers to a situation in volleyball when one team wins a point while its opponent is serving, thereby regaining serve or control of play. It is hoped that this Side-Out will do the same for breast cancer patients, providing them with the support, education and best available treatments to regain control of their lives.

To read more about Nebraska volleyball, visit NebVolleyball.com