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Hundreds of fans attended Sayville Middle School’s Purple vs. Gold Charity Girls Volleyball competition, which raised $3,500 for three local families in need.
In what’s become an annual tradition, girls who made the middle school volleyball squad competed together with every player who tried out but did not make the team.
The volleyball team’s coach, James McLoughlin, came up with the idea five years ago, as a way to keep more students involved with the sport and to raise money for students and local families in need.
“We had forty girls on two teams practicing every day,” McLoughlin said about the preparation for the competition played this month in the middle school gym. “We were blessed with two teams, the Purple Team coached by (varsity coach) Debbie Urso and the Gold Team coached by me.
“Now, we are able to get 40 girls involved in a sport they’ve grown to love,” he added.
Over the years, the game has become more and more popular, emerging as must-see event for students and their families, as well as for alumni. The district calls it the middle school’s “biggest and most exciting event.”
“Many alumni volleyball players, some still in college and some who have graduated from college, as well as players from our current varsity and junior varsity teams, came to the game and helped referee, coach, and even play with the girls,” McLoughlin said.
This year, one side the gym was bedecked with purple streamers and balloon, while the other side was covered in gold. The Gold Team won the competition and received a handmade trophy.
Spectators in the standing-room-only crowd donated to the worthy causes and purchased raffle tickets for gift certificates to summer sports camps and gift baskets that were donated by the community and local businesses.
“Every time there was a knock on my classroom door, another one of our players was there with yet another gift card or gift certificate for one of the businesses from town, or cash from ticket sales,” McLoughlin said. “It was just amazing how much support we received from this town. I wish I could thank them all personally.”
Before the game, seventh grader Camryn Quinlan, a professional singer and a member of the up and coming Acapella! Kids group, sand the National Anthem, which was dedicated to the late James Bast, a retired NYPD police officer.
Bast’s daughter Megan is a senior on Sayville’s girls varsity volleyball team. He died from a Sept. 11 related illness the week of the game.
To help energize the crowd, DJ-style music played during the event and the student rock band, The Muse Within, organized by Jack Lictra at South Bay Arts in Bayport, played between games.
Check out some photos below of the day’s festivities.
