WRIGHTSVILLE, Pa. — “It's obviously something a little emotional for me, but it's one of those ways I can kind of give back and more than just coaching,” said Eastern York volleyball head coach Kristie Bunn-Kingston, while tearing up before a Golden Knights' practice.
There’s a clear difference between a loss on the court and a loss in life.
“I wish my mom was here to see this. She’s the reason why I coach,” Bunn-Kingston said.
When you walk into Eastern York’s gym, the gold of the Golden Knights really stands out. The volleyball team is ready to add a splash of pink for the third straight year.
“It’s something I get to say I’ve participated in, I’ve fundraised for, and I think it’s a great experience,” said senior co-captain Chloe Good.
“Every year we're like, ‘OK, so this Pink Out's going to be like the best one,’ because we're always trying to make it better than the last one," added senior co-captain Addy McGuckin.
The third annual Pink Out will take the court on Tuesday, Oct. 1.
While it revolves around a volleyball game, it’s also the start of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The event certainly raises awareness throughout the community, but this year, one addition has the chance to save lives.
“The mammogram bus is going to be here," said Good. "That's a first and I think that’s something that we should keep going.”
“The mobile mammogram obviously is coming from WellSpan. We'll have someone from UPMC. They'll speak in between the varsity and the JV game about breast cancer awareness. We'll have Pink Power York here again to accept our check from us,” Bunn-Kingston said.
If you pre-register, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., you can get a mammogram before the Pink Out game.
“It's a big deal and I think it's important to try to get that exposure for them and also to give them something that's a little bit bigger than just the confines of what you do on a court,” added Bunn-Kingston said.
But, the competitive side we see on the court is also seen in the lead-up to the Pink Out. All of the money raised goes to Pink Power York, and that includes t-shirt sales.
“Me and Addie, we are the two captains on the team. We are very competitive. I think I'm beating her. I hope I beat her,” laughed Good.
“I had my sister and me fighting over a teacher in the hallway just yesterday trying to sell a shirt for them,” said McGuckin with a smile.
When one of the teams reaches three sets, the game will be over, but the fight will continue against an opponent that doesn’t play by any rules, as Golden Knights present a check in hopes of taking another step to eliminate breast cancer.