So for the Holliston Excessive senior soccer participant to be invited to take part within the inaugural A Shot For Life Braveness Cup, a hybrid occasion that includes elevating cash for most cancers analysis and a soccer sport, was an honor.
“To have the ability to assist increase the amount of cash I did and assist folks sooner or later is large,” mentioned Roy, a goalkeeper. “Particularly with the kind of most cancers remedy we (raised) cash for being so profitable – it seems to be as if progress is coming.”
Like Roy, Marco Perugini and his household have been negatively affected by most cancers.
When the Medway Excessive senior was invited to play within the ASFL Braveness Cup this previous weekend at Union Level Sports activities Complicated in Weymouth, Perugini didn’t hesitate.
“ASFL is an incredible program (that) does a lot good for the neighborhood,” mentioned Perugini. “After they invited me, it was a no brainer to hitch the household.”
A Shot For Life (ASFL) got here to life after Mike Slonina set a world report by capturing a basketball for twenty-four straight hours in 2011 – a yr after his mom, Betsy Cullen, was falsely recognized with a mind tumor. Slonina, ASFL’s founder and CEO, created the non-profit group to lift funds for well being and most cancers analysis initiatives.
The ASFL Braveness Cup is the soccer sibling to different sporting occasions just like the ASFL Problem (Basketball), ASFL Baseball/Softball House Run Derby and Pitchers Problem, and the ASFL Conflict Towards Most cancers (Lacrosse).
“They’re a hybrid between a fundraiser and a aggressive athletic occasion,” Slonina wrote in an e-mail. “These initiatives began in 2013 and are distinctive, talent-based fundraising initiatives the place gamers undergo a scouting and interview course of earlier than they’re chosen.
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“Every of our athletes (are) representing our group on and off the sphere, and character is equally necessary to expertise within the choice course of.”
On Saturday, highschool boys’ soccer gamers from throughout the commonwealth participated in a star-studded sport that raised over $75,000 for mind most cancers analysis at Massachusetts Basic Hospital.
A shot that counts:Franklin’s Jay Dieterle wins A Shot For Life problem for his mom
Workforce Grey received the inaugural match, 6-3. However profitable or dropping was the farthest factor from everybody’s thoughts.
“(It was an) completely wonderful expertise with the ability to play in a sport that had a larger that means behind it,” mentioned Perugini, a Day by day Information All-Star and Union Faculty commit who scored two objectives for Workforce Grey. “I used to be in a position to play with a few of my lifelong mates and it was all for trigger.”
“I had a good time on the sport,” mentioned Framingham Excessive senior Ben Sharon, additionally a Day by day Information All-Star for soccer this fall. “It was such an honor taking part in alongside such unbelievable gamers and much more of an honor to play for such an necessary trigger.”
On Jan. 28, ASFL will host the first-ever women’ soccer occasion. For Nipmuc Regional Excessive College senior Josie Hayes, a goaltender like Roy whose grandmother is battling lymphoma and breast most cancers, it was a privilege to make it via the ASFL’s scouting and interview course of, and change into a part of the group’s prolonged household.
“My favourite half about ASFL is how enthusiastic they’re about serving to others,” mentioned Hayes, who will play soccer at Siena Faculty. “They use their ardour – sports activities – to lift cash and consciousness for the most cancers analysis finished at Mass Basic. ASFL is not only a crew or a charity group, it’s a household.”
For Slonina, it’s a household he began 13 years in the past. And he’s blissful to develop it into a brand new enviornment this yr: soccer.
“ASFL Soccer has been within the works for a very long time and we’re excited to roll the ball out and produce it to life,” Slonina mentioned. “… Like all new initiative, we’re in search of a robust first step. I do know our incoming ASFL soccer gamers are very enthusiastic about being the start of a brand new custom in Massachusetts. All the things that ASFL Soccer accomplishes shifting ahead can be due to what our present gamers are doing now.