Reese Gregory, a senior captain on the Varsity team, described the energy as “electric”.
On Monday, February 2, the girls basketball players of Essex and Essex Junction played in the annual Pink Zone Games, hosted in the Essex High School Gymnasium. The evening included three games: Albert D. Lawton vs. Essex Middle School, Essex JV vs. Champlain Valley Union JV, and Essex Varsity vs. CVU Varsity.
The Pink Zone Games often draw larger crowds than the average girls’ basketball games.
“It feels like you are playing in a big college game or a game that matters, and it feels great to get the whole school involved in a game for a cause,” Gregory said.
The cause that the Pink Zone Game supports is the UVM Cancer Research Center. Specifically, the Pink Zone Game supports breast cancer patients.
For Zoe Papaseraphim, a senior starter on the Varsity team, the Pink Zone Game means a lot.
“It’s bringing together everyone in the community,” Papaseraphim said. “Not only to support female athletes but breast cancer awareness. It’s a game which brings everyone together and something to look forward to in the year since middle school.”
The Pink Zone Games begin for some athletes as early as sixth grade. Riley Labonte, who played for EMS and is now a sophomore at Essex, said that the high school games are more intense.
“There’s more people there to support you,” Labonte said.
That support comes from parents, siblings, and coaches; but most of all, that support comes from students. The energy from the Pink Zone Game brings more students out to support the girls’ basketball teams.
Freshman Stella Papaseraphim, Zoe Papaseraphim’s sister, came out to show her support for her sister and the rest of the team. Part of the reason that she attended the game was the student section.
“The energy, how hyped everyone is, and how well dressed people are (wearing pink to resemble the color for breast cancer) in the student section,” Papaseraphim said.
The student section wasn’t the only motivator to attend the Pink Zone Game. Kamryn Boire, a sophomore on the gymnastics team, attended for a different reason.
“I attended the Pink Zone Game to support those dealing with cancer because I know people close to me that have battled the disease,” Boire said. “Also, my gymnastics team had planned on going to support our school and what it stands for.”
Molly Gilbert, a junior on the Varsity team, admired the energy and dedication of the crowd.
“The dedication shows that people who are going through cancer will never be alone and [always] have tons of supporters,” Gilbert said.
To the players and coaches, the Pink Zone Game means more than just playing to win. The Essex Girl’s Varsity Coach, Gayle Botelho, believes that the Pink Zone Game brings together community members.
“There’s a lot of good energy,” Botelho said. “It brings a lot of people together from the community. Everyone is rooting together even though they are opposing teams.”
The final key piece of the Pink Zone Game are the referees. Joshua Garcia, who refereed the JV and middle school games, could feel the positive atmosphere.
“Everybody was there for the fun of the game,” Garcia said. “Although it was a competition, I felt it was a privilege to be there. It really meant competition for the better of the community.”
