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Anclote joins cancer fight

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By EDDIE DANIELS

edaniels@tampatrib.com

Published: October 16, 2009

NEW PORT RICHEY - For Anclote High coach Chris Vergnaud, putting together a game to help raise money for cancer research isn't paying lip service or going with the flow.

Yes, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but there's a deeper level of reasoning.

Anclote will host Gulf on Wednesday at 6 p.m., and proceeds will go to the Side-Out Foundation.

Vergnaud feels an intimate drive to do something.

"It's something I personally believe in because I lost my mom four years ago to cancer - not breast cancer - but I lost her to cancer," Vergnaud said. "It's something that means something to me and it's nice to have my girls, help from the community, my volleyball team and Gulf High School to all come together for one reason. We still have the competition aspect, but everybody's going to come together to raise money for research and to help out."

In addition to the typical donations, Vergnaud is hoping people will get involved by buying T-shirts at the Anclote gym and pledging money for each dig made by his players.

The Side-Out Foundation was started in 2004 to help raise money to help in the fight against breast cancer. The entity's mission is to raise funds through sports, and it has set a goal of raising $1 million in 2009.

Around the school and the Holiday area, Vergnaud and his team have put up posters touting the event with the slogan, "Help the Sharks take a bite out of cancer." Considering the heaviness of the task, Vergnaud is sure his players will benefit personally by being involved.

"Giving back is always the best option," said Vergnaud, who coached the Gulf volleyball team last season. "I think sometimes we get so caught up in the competition that we forget what's going on in the real world and what's going on outside of competition. So for me to get my girls into something that means so much to so many people, it's a disease that affects everybody. It's a disease that doesn't discriminate. For my girls to step up and give back to the community is huge.

"This is our (school's) first year in operation, and we really want to stand up and we really want to give back to the community as much as possible."

Anclote is one of several teams that have participated in similar events. Last week, Wiregrass Ranch hosted Citrus in a Go Pink game, and before that, River Ridge traveled to the Orlando Sports Center for the Dig Pink volleyball tournament.

Those interested in getting involved or donating can contact Vergnaud at cvergnau@pasco.k12.fl.us.

SAY WHAT? Chrissy Brando has never had to utter these words to anyone involved with the River Ridge volleyball program.

Brando, who is in her first season as the coach but was the assistant for six seasons, told her team it might want to look toward next season.

"I just told the girls, and I said sorry to the seniors, but this is preparing us for next year," Brando said Wednesday night after a 25-15, 20-25, 25-16, 25-17 loss to Ridgewood. "The ones I have out there, 'you'll be here next year, start getting better now.'"

Why is this so significant? Since the school opened in 1994, the Royal Knights (10-11 after Wednesday) have won 12 district titles, including seven in a row at one point, and 11 Sunshine Athletic Conference titles. Eight of those were consecutive.

Needless to say, Brando found it strange to have those words fall from her lips.

AND GOING, AND GOING ...: If anyone was looking for Ridgewood to run out of steam, forget it. The squad (14-3) continues to power through opponents and is set up for a No. 2 district seeding.

Making the team more dangerous is the fact that middle hitter Lauren Vanker is back. Vanker, a junior, played in just the first week of the season before falling ill. She made her return to the lineup Tuesday against Pasco, and she had 16 kills.

"Her presence at the net is big for us," Ridgewood coach Amber Starkey said. "She's 6 feet tall, so it's nice to have her back."

When the district tournament begins Oct. 27 at Hudson, Ridgewood will play No. 7 seed Anclote, a team the Rams beat 3-0.

"The girls have been playing really well, they've worked hard all year long and they worked hard to put themselves in a position to be that No. 2 seed," Starkey said. "They deserve it."

Beginning tonight, Ridgewood will play in this weekend's Bradenton Southeast Tournament. The Rams play Bradenton Bayshore at 6 and Braden River at 8 tonight. Saturday, they will face Orlando Christian Prep at 11 a.m., and they will play again at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.

The Volleyball Notebook will run every Thursday in the Pasco Tribune. Coaches who want to add their team's information can submit their entries to Eddie Daniels by calling (813) 259-7066 or e-mailing edaniels@tampatrib.com.

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