NL_042519

38 | April 25, 2019 | the new lenox patriot sports
newlenoxpatriot.com
Opportunities to give back are special for Warriors, Knights
STEVE MILLAR, Sports Editor
The annual Kick for a
Cure event always held
special meaning for Lincoln-Way
West alum Sydney
Valiska.
Valiska, a member of
West’s Class of 2017, was
diagnosed with a form of
ovarian cancer at age 9.
After four months of chemotherapy
and multiple
surgeries, she was declared
cancer-free.
A four-year member of
the Warriors’ soccer team,
Valiska was honored as a
cancer survivor every season
at Kick for a Cure. The
event is an annual doubleheader
to raise research
funds and awareness for
breast cancer and Type 1
diabates. It originally featured
four Lincoln-Way
schools and, since the closing
of North, has included
LW West, Central and East
as well as one other school
- Homewood-Flossmoor
this season.
Valiska would walk out
each year with her dad,
Bob.
Bob Valiska, after going
through his own battle with
brain cancer, died on September
17.
Sydney Valiska. now a
sophomore golfer at Purdue
Northwest, returned to
West for Kick for a Cure
on April 16. Along with her
mother, Laurie, she walked
onto the field in her father’s
honor during the ceremony
for cancer survivors, those
currently fighting the disease,
and victims.
“It was tough to lose
my dad,” Sydney Valiska
said. “He watched me play
soccer and golf here for
all those years. It helps,
though, seeing all these
girls [on the West soccer
team] out here. It’s good
The Lincoln-Way Central girls soccer team built a bike
at the PepsiCo Showdown. The bike will be donated to
a local military family. Photo submitted
to see their smiling faces.
I love their tears and their
hugs and all that.”
Sydney Valiska was
greeted with a huge group
hug with many of her teammates,
several of them in
tears.
“It was very emotional,”
senior Anna Kirk said. “My
freshman or sophomore
year, Syd was my big sister.
We always had a lot of special
moments together. Her
coming to this game was
amazing. I love her. She’s
awesome.”
Bob Valiska was also
a part of the West soccer
family.
“Sydney was such a leader
of the team and Mr. Valiska
was always a part of
it,” coach Jeff Theiss said.
“He coached some of these
girls. The emotions were
definitely running high.
That dynamic of playing
for your high school,
playing with your friends
and playing for your community,
that’s what it’s all
about.”
The four schools all
pitched in to help with the
fundraiser. The teams wore
special T-shirts and raffles
were held for gift baskets.
Proceeds were donated to
Silver Cross Hospital and
the Juvenile Diabetes Research
Foundation.
“I think it’s great to see
the girls step up knowing
they’re playing for those
who have survived and
those who have passed
on,” Sydney Valiska said.
“I think doing things like
this helps them grow as individuals
beyond the game
of soccer.”
The Warriors beat Homewood-Flossmoor
1-0, and
senior Sam Sarna said the
victory was dedicated to
the Valiskas.
“Syd coming out was
awesome,” Sarna said.
“I think that was why we
played well. We did it for
her.”
‘More important than some
wins and losses’
Kick for a Cure was the
capper on a week of giving
and team-building activities
for Lincoln-Way Central.
On April 11, the Knights
beat Riverside-Brookfield
Soccer players from Lincoln-Way West, Lincoln-Way Central and Lincoln-Way East
present a check to Tracy Silmons from Silver Cross Hospital. The teams raised
money for breast cancer awareness and research during the Kick For a Cure event.
Julie McMann/22nd Century Media
4-1 to win their “charity
pod”, a four-team minitournament
that was part
of the massive PepsiCo
Showdown. The victory
earned the Knights money
to be donated to the charity
of their choice, Feed
My Starving Children. The
group packages and distributes
food to be sent to developing
countries.
The Knights recently
volunteered at a food-packing
event.
“That fired us up to win
that game,” senior Katie
Farr said. “We wanted to
win that money for a good
cause and it was awesome
to be able to get that for
them.”
Kick for a Cure brought
more good feelings to the
team.
“The cause is so good,”
senior Nicolette Gossage
said. “It’s always a blessing
to be able to play for these
survivors or honor those
who, sadly, have passed
away. It’s always good to
raise money for something
that a lot of people experience
and deal with. Having
the whole community out
here and having little kids
looking up to you, it feels
great.”
Farr and her sister -
sophomore goalie Jenny
Farr - honored their aunt,
Darcy Mulderink, a cancer
survivor.
“Playing a rival school
and then getting to play
for our aunt, it felt great
to come out with the win,”
Katie Farr said.
The Knights beat Lincoln-Way
East 3-1. Gossage,
who played at East
as a freshman before the
closure of North changed
the district boundaries, recorded
a hat trick.
Players from Central and
West also gave back during
the PepsiCo Showdown’s
showcase day April 13 in
Schaumburg. Each team
built a bike that will be
donated to a local military
family.
“At certain points, it
seems like it’s 10 percent
X’s and O’s and 90 percent
the experience,” Central
coach Sean Fahey said.
“Knowing there’s way
more than soccer is very
important for these girls.
Getting involved and being
productive members of
your community is pretty
cool. That’s probably more
important than some wins
and losses.”