Strength.
Courage.
Fighting spirit.
The words are used not only to describe Clarkston’s gridiron gang but the people and families they represented as they took to the field for their annual Blue/Gold scrimmage on Saturday.
Correction. The Wolves first annual Pink/Blue scrimmage for Football for a Cure to raise awareness and money for Karmanos Cancer Institute, based in Detroit.
‘It started with our lacrosse coach,? said Wolves Varsity Football Coach Kurt Richardson. ‘Brian Kaminskas has done it for a couple years and I thought it would be a cool thing to do.?
Richardson found inspiration after talking to Noel Dean, the head football coach at Lowell High School. Lowell raised $125,000 last year.
‘He told me some of the things they did with it and how much money they had raised and I thought if they could do that, we could too.?
Harriet Clark chaired the successful event.
‘KR and I talked in May and he said ‘I want our kids to give back.? We thought it would be a great way for them to be reminded all the people sitting in the stands or even in the community – they have a story,? she said.
Old freshmen white jerseys were dyed pink and light blue – the pink to represent women who have lost their lives to breast cancer and the blue to represent the men who have fought prostate cancer.
Families and the coaches bought nameplates and each one had a name of a cancer survivor or someone who lost their battle. The boys were split into two teams and wore pink and blue honor women and men who have fought and are fighting cancer.
‘It was a great honor to play for someone who died of cancer,? said Senior Jordan Clark, who will play as a outside linebacker and tightend this season.
They introduced themselves before the game and announced who they would be playing for.
‘By playing with someone else’s name on their back it will remind them why it’s a great way for them to use their talent to do for someone else,? said Harriet. ‘And a reminder to them there is a whole other host of people out there that have a story.?
Besides the nameplates, proceeds were raised from selling T-shirts, blue and pink wristbands and snowcones – a popular favorite on the hot day.
‘Given we had little publicity, the community has really gotten on board,? said Clark.
By the beginning of the scrimmage game at 11 a.m., the team and volunteers had sold 300 T-shirts and 60 jerseys.
It was no surprise since Clarkston fans fill the stands at away games – no matter how far the team plays.
‘In Clarkston it takes a village to raise a child and that’s what makes something like this work,? said Harriet.
‘We were never worried – Will people come out? Will people buy into it? We knew if we told them Clarkston football players were doing this ? they would be there ? that’s just what the community does in Clarkston,? Harriet added.
Richardson and Clark see next year’s Pink/Blue scrimmage to be bigger and Richardson has set the goal for every year to be bigger and better.
‘I thought it was a great event,? said Jordan. ‘It raised awareness and money for cancer research.?