Kickin' it for Kids with Cancer
Photo by Jaclyn De Vries
Lee University's Lady Flames soccer team hosted their annual Kickin' it for Kids with Cancer event on Friday, Sept. 11.
This was the sixth year that Lee has hosted the event.
Kickin' it for Kids with Cancer has been held annually by the Lady Flames to help raise money and awareness for the Austin Hatcher Foundation.
Jim and Amy Jo Osborn founded the Austin Hatcher Foundation after they lost their 9-week-old son, Austin Hatcher Osborn, to an aggressive form of pediatric cancer. Lady Flames former head coach Matt Yelton began the event with the hope of raising money for cancer research.
Chris Hemsworth, first year head coach of the Lady Flames, continued the tradition that began with coach Yelton.
'It was great, I think the director of the foundation, Ray, said that we raised just over $10,000,' Hemsworth said. 'It was great, we told the girls that they were playing for something that is bigger than themselves. These kids in these very unfortunate situations don't get the opportunity that these girls have ' It's good to play for such a good cause.'
The Lady Flames sold their jerseys that were worn during the game with all of the proceeds going to the foundation.
Junior Lady Flame Kinsey Cichowitz said that the feeling of competitiveness and respect for the meaning of the game was unique for both teams.
'I think that it's a mutual understanding,' Cichowitz said. 'Both teams know that, yes we are playing a game, and yes, we both want to win, but we are playing it more for the kids and the cause.'
Sophomore Lady Flame Haley Griber said that the event makes it easy to identify a reason to leave it all on the field.
'Our coach always talks about it, and we know as players that we are playing for something that is bigger than ourselves,' Griber said. 'So, it's not like we have to dig very deep to find motivation for the game, because we know that we are playing a game that a lot of kids struggling with cancer will never get to play.'
The match resulted in a 1-1 tie against Newberry College.
