Sky Teams Play for a Cause at GJNC

Candice Kasischke
Intern, Media Relations and Publications
Phone: (719) 228-6800
E-Mail: candice.kasischke@usav.org

ATLANTA (June 27, 2011) – The 2011 USA Volleyball Girls’ Junior National Championships has two teams that are competing not only for themselves, but to also promote breast cancer awareness during the tournament taking place June 25 to July 4 in Atlanta.

The Sky High 15 Purple club team in the 15 American Division and the Skyline 14 RoShamBo Royal club team in the 14 Open Division are wearing pink items to back the cause.

Peyton and Alexa Bykowski (Lincolnshire, Ill.) are twins and teammates on the Sky High 15 Purple team. The Bykowski girls started the idea of wearing breast cancer awareness items to the USAV Girls’ Junior National Championships. Their club team has joined them in wearing hair ribbons, custom-made tattoos on their wrists and pink sweatbands on their ankles out of support for their teammate Haley Nedelka and her mother, who is battling the disease. Both Haley and her mother were unable to attend the tournament physically, but are with the team in spirit.

“We are wearing ribbons in our hair to support Haley,” Peyton said. “She is out for the summer because of a hip injury, but our team is wearing pink sweatbands around our ankles with Haley’s number and in bold letters it has her mother’s initials, CN.”

The twins expressed that the team is giving away some of their tattoos to any team that is interested in helping them support breast cancer.

“We are giving out 10 tattoos to any team who would like them,” Peyton said. “We include a note about our story and the support for our volleyball mom. To all of us, Mrs. Nedelka is our mom. She is always on our minds and we are supporting her to the fullest and backing breast cancer awareness.”

“I have been wearing a tattoo since we made them two weeks ago,” Alexa said. “It is very big to me to be playing for a higher cause. We, as a team, have grown and want to help and support our volleyball parents, especially when they need it most because they do so much for us.”

Leah Mallinos (Grayslake, Ill.) and Kara Maleski (Long Grove, Ill.), also members of the Sky High 15 Purple team, believe that their team has come together more through supporting their teammate and breast cancer awareness.

“Even though Haley isn’t here with us, she is still part of the team,” Maleski said. “We Skyped with her yesterday and we are keeping her in the spirit of our team. Standing for breast cancer awareness has brought our team together more.”

“It was a good team bonding experience by putting the materials together to help spread the awareness,” Mallinos said. “It has brought us closer and has allowed us to have a unique relationship.”

The Skyline 14 RoShamBo Royal team is wearing pink shirts that read “dig for the cure” on the backs. The team has worn the shirt at other competitions to play in the name of those who suffer the disease.

Katy Keenan (Argyle, Texas) and Christina Phillips (Frisco, Texas), members of the Skyline 14 RoShamBo Royal team, explained that their team made shirts to wear at the tournaments and that it helps them to remember they are playing for a higher cause.

“Usually on the second or third day of competition at qualifying tournaments and nationals, we wear our breast cancer awareness shirts,” Keenan said. “As volleyball players, we ‘dig for the cure’ and want to recognize those who suffer through defeating this disease.”

“At qualifiers in Texas, it is cool to see that they set up booths and the people’s support,” Phillips said. “We are not only playing for our team, but also those who have fought through breast cancer.”

So during the USA Volleyball Girls’ Junior National Championships, these two teams may have purple and royal designating their club names, but their athletes are golden in their actions.

For USA Volleyball Girls' Junior National Championships results, click here. For more information on the tournament, visit usavolleyball.org/events/4873/page/10331.

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Tags: 2011 Girls' Junior National Championships, junior, Junior Nationals, USA Volleyball Girls' Junior National Championships