April 26, 2016 — Congratulations to the 2016 Side-Out/JVA National Dig Pink® Award winners! The winners below were determined based on fundraising for the 2016 Dig Pink® Tour. Any team that attended the JVA World Challenge in Kansas City, MO and also fundraised for The Side-Out Foundation’s Dig Pink® Tour was eligible to win. Thank you so much for your support and CONGRATULATIONS!!

Next Level Volleyball Club 15 Green (Milwaukee, WI) — $635

Mintonette Sports Volleyball Club m.63 (Columbus, OH) — $575

Mintonette Sports Volleyball Club m.51 (Columbus, OH) — $550.00

The winning teams will receive a plaque and each player will get a certificate. In addition, JVA supporters donated gifts for each team:

1st place
$20 voucher per player to the Tournament Apparel Store
2nd place
Headbands from Head Band Hut
3rd place
AAU t-shirts

Last year, although the Assist Project was officially over, we thought it would be nice to continue the theme of creating cards, and we chose one patient who had a connection to the volleyball community and the JVA family: Griffin Schunzel. Griffin is the son of JVA marketing coordinator, Briana Schunzel and Kennesaw State University head volleyball coach, Keith Schunzel, and last year he was diagnosed with leukemia. The Schunzels loved the package of cards from teams across the country, and the outpouring of support at the JVA World Challenge inspired us to bring some sunshine to another family dealing with a serious illness.

This year we chose Savannah Rennie, an outside hitter for UC Berkeley who was recently diagnosed with a rare liver disease and is currently awaiting a liver transplant. Each team that donated cards was entered into a raffle, and Club Fusion Marengo 16 Blue (Marengo, IL) won! All players on the team received JVA t-shirts. We are truly touched by the thoughtfulness of each team that contributed cards and gifts, and will be sending those along to Savannah this week.

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About Junior Volleyball Association (JVA National)

The Junior Volleyball Association (JVA) is the only association that is solely focused on junior volleyball and the needs of junior clubs. The mission of the Junior Volleyball Association is to promote the growth of youth and junior volleyball through program and resource development, education and events.

About The Side-Out Foundation

Founded in 2004, The Side-Out Foundation, founder of Dig Pink®, teams with the volleyball community to inspire science and hope in the match against breast cancer. In volleyball, “side-out” means regaining control of the ball. Similarly, The Side-Out Foundation helps people with breast cancer regain control of their lives. Side-Out is the only charity using the power and teamwork of the volleyball community to beat cancer and is directly responsible for extending the lives of stage 4 breast cancer patients. The treatments given as part of Side-Out’s innovative clinical trials have dramatically slowed the effects of stage 4 breast cancer, giving patients more quality time with their families and getting them closer to the day we find a cure. Through Dig Pink® and other programs, Side-Out coaches thousands of young people in skills such as teamwork, leadership and perseverance, and gives them opportunities to live meaningful and healthy lives.