Sports16 October 10, 2012

Volleyball team digs for PINK Audiences at Kirkwood sporting events all

have one thing in common: stuffed bleachers filled with a sea of red. However, one night for the past six years there has been a sea of pink in the bleachers when the girls’ varsity volley-ball team hosts their annual Pink Out game to support Breast Cancer Awareness.

The team played the official Pink Out game Oct. 1 against Francis Howell. KHS lost 2-0, (25-13, 25-16) despite a late comeback in the second match. There was a great crowd turn-out supporting the team as well as the cause. The game was significant as last year Francis Howell made it to state and Kirkwood won dis-tricts. The game, however, was a side-story for a greater cause on this date.

The team sold 550 pink t-shirts and raised more than $2,500 for the support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Head girls’ varsity volleyball coach Julie Goodmann founded the annual Pink Out game during her second year at KHS, 2006, as a result of one player’s mother being diagnosed with breast cancer. Good-mann seized the opportunity and organized a fundraiser for breast cancer awareness.

“I thought that we needed to give back to

the community,” Goodmann said, who also started the fundraiser because Breast Cancer awareness month coincides with the girls’ vol-leyball season. “So we do it through breast cancer awareness.”

A local organization, Making Strides Ameri-can Cancer Society, holds a Walk/Run at the end of October. The team does not participate in the Walk/Run, but all of the money raised by the team is donated to the organization.

“It’s just good to know the money goes to a good cause,” Mary Catherine Brown, freshman volleyball player, said.

Breast cancer is the second most com-mon form of cancer among American women. About one in eight American women will de-velop it in their lifetime.

“All of our money goes toward making strides against breast cancer, and we have defi-nitely taken it to a new level this year,” Good-mann said.

The volleyball team utilizes the t-shirt sales as a way to donate money to the cause. But the game is a way to raise both awareness as well as money.

“It is fun to see the Pink Out in the stands,” Megan Hellwege, volleyball player, said. “It re-minds you that you are playing for something much greater than just Kirkwood volleyball.”

Ian Borella pedals his way to success

Grant McKenna photographer

photo courtesy of Melissa Borella

Woody Kipp sports writer

The adrenaline and intensity of biking are what initially attracted Ian Borella to cycling. He loves the rush of going down a hill along with the hectic sprints to end races. The adrenaline has always been there for Ian, and now he is starting to win awards that demonstrate his passion for competetive cycling.

Three weeks ago, Ian competed in the Gateway Cup, a four-day national race held in St. Louis. Ian, sophomore, won two of the four days and finished second in the other two. He finished first overall to win the event.

“It was the proudest moment of my life,” Ian said. “I love knowing that I am the first Kirkwood High School student in his-tory to win a national bike race.”

Ian rides 20-30 miles daily to ensure that he keeps his stamina up, traveling routes on short sprints and steep hills. His training rides are designed to exhaust him and help prepare him for grueling races.

“I have to ride after sports practice so I push myself to the limits everyday until I'm exhausted,” Ian said. “I try to beat my personal record of fastest mile every ride.”

Ian must spend each day training be-cause every ride matters to him while try-ing to get better. His cycling coach, Trey Hogan, agrees. He said the best riders are always the riders who put in the most time.

“If you aren’t putting in your time, you will get beat and beat fast,” Hogan said. “If you don’t love biking, it’s a huge pain in the butt.”

While Ian is now an avid cyclist, there was a time when he had no interest in it. Then Ian babysat for Stewart Munson, who owns Ma-plewood Bicycling, a cycling shop. After Ian’s first day babysitting, Munson decided to pay him with a racing bike instead of money.

“Stewart Munson is a very active cyclist,” Melissa Borella, Ian’s mom, said. “He was al-ways talking about it and encouraging Ian to give it a try.”

After buying the necessary cycling gear, Ian ended up giving it a try the very next week. He won his first race, the Tour of St. Louis.

Since that first race, cycling has been a large part of Ian’s life. Melissa also sees the special relationship between Ian and cycling.

“He fell in love with the sport after his first race,” Melissa said. “All that adrenaline and competition just pushes him harder.”

Although cycling is important to Ian, he also has to balance his time between soccer practice and a demanding school schedule.

“I don’t have very much free time,” Ian said. “My typical day is school, practice, bike ride and then homework.”

Even though his leisure time is at a mini-mum, Ian’s passion for cycling keeps him go-ing. However, Ian said it is more than worth it to put in the extra effort.

“Im really excited because cycling is get-ting more popular every day,” Ian said. “Cy-cling gives me the best time of my life.”

John Aschbacher sports writer

In the 6th annual Pink Out game, the girls’ varsity volleyball team huddles during a timeout. The team sold 550 t-shirts and raised more than $2,500 for the support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Ian Borella, sophomore, crosses the finish line at the THF Realty Gateway Cup Labor Day week-end Sept. 3. Borella finished first overall to win the gold.