Women’s Soccer raises money for breast cancer research

Gaels exceed their goals in Play for the Cure fundraiser

The women’s soccer team scored $4

On the final weekend of September, the women’s soccer team raised more than $4,500 for the fight against breast cancer through the “Play for the Cure” fundraiser.

The entire team worked together to raise money. The coaches donated $100 for every goal the pink-clad women scored in their Sunday game, and the women filled the net in response—they scored four times in their win against Laurentian.

“We couldn’t contribute to Run for the Cure since we have two league games per weekend in the season, but we still needed to do something to raise awareness,” striker Christie Grey told The Journal.

“We figured that dedicating one of our games to Play for the Cure was the perfect way to do our part.”

The Varsity Leadership Council (VLC) had set the goal at $150 for each team participating. The team surpassed this goal within an hour of their first post asking for donations.

“Immediately I knew that with such rapid responses and team buy-in, we could accomplish something much bigger than a few hundred dollars,” Gray said.

The team adjusted their goal to $1,000. Through Facebook posts from the players, by the next morning, they had raised $2,700.

By the time the final whistle sounded on their Sunday matchup against the Voyageurs, the women had raised a grand total of $4,577 for the Canadian Cancer Society.

“Often as student athletes, it’s easy to get caught up in our academic and athletic commitments,” said Grey. “However, it is important to take a step back every once in a while, to recognize the importance of being involved and giving back to the community.”

The initiative doesn’t end here—other varsity teams will also partake in the fundraising efforts throughout the month of October. Other teams will also be wearing pink in their games to promote the cause and raise awareness for the campaign.

The soccer team plans on making this a tradition. Next season, they’re going to start their promotions even earlier to reach more potential donors. The men’s soccer team has also agreed to participate next year.

This accomplishment means a lot to the women’s soccer team. Head Coach Dave McDowell said that in his 30-plus years of coaching Queen’s women’s soccer, none of his teams had raised so much for one event.

The team is excited to continue their successes next year and to see if they can improve in the coming years.

“It proved that with a roster of 25 driven, committed individuals, you can accomplish whatever you put your mind to.”

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