SYCAMORE TOWNSHIP, Ohio — Moeller High School senior outside hitter Ben Hagerty is competing with a purpose with his teammates beyond this boys volleyball season.
While the reigning two-time Division I state champion Crusaders (10-2) are already No. 2 in the statewide coaches' poll, the players and coaches have a greater cause in mind.
On April 21, Moeller plays host to Elder in its annual Courage Court Challenge which benefits the CancerFree Kids organization.
"CancerFree Kids is a great cause for us," Hagerty said. "It's been in the program for a long time so we love to have it. It brings a crowd which is always nice to see. The parents love it. It's just great for the community."
The Moeller volleyball program, winners of 10 state championships, has supported CancerFree Kids since 2007 — the same year current Crusaders coach Lee Meyer won a state title as a senior.
"Since 2007 our program has raised over $60,000," Meyer said. "The first $50,000 of that actually went toward funding a grant. And when that grant was approved it actually has now raised over $2.2 million as a direct relationship to what we've given to CancerFree Kids."
Moeller will host a silent auction in the school lobby April 21 as well as a split-the-pot fundraiser during the evening which features the varsity match starting at 7 p.m.
All the proceeds of the silent auction and the split the pot go to directly CancerFree Kids, which partners with Cincinnati Children's Hospital and Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus.
"We rely so heavily on events like this," said Cindy Pilipovich, the school and hospital liaison for Loveland-based CancerFree Kids. "These events where the community comes together allows us to fund grants that will otherwise go unfunded."
Pilipovich said she enjoys seeing what the high school student-athletes can accomplish in sports and most importantly in engaging the community. The CancerFree Kids fundraising night is a prime example.
"There is so many things out there that kind of highlight in our world of what kids aren't doing right," Pilipovich said. "This is such an example of what high school kids are doing right. And there are two different teams on the court but there is one team fighting for pediatric cancer. And that's what I just love so much about working with the kids and the high school kids and the coaches."
Meyer said Moeller and Elder will also continue to wear "Ross Strong" T-shirts in support of Ross Lanter, the younger brother of Elder volleyball players Bradley Lanter and Reid Lanter.
"At the end of the day volleyball is like a community," Moeller senior middle blocker Will Patterson said. "We're a big community. Sure, we play against each other. But, in the end we're all just one big team."
It's why Meyer and the Moeller volleyball program will continue to strive for success on the court while also creating memories beyond the sport.
"So much about what this program does has nothing to do with volleyball," said Meyer. "It's just a big family. And I think it's the culmination of what's achieved on the court, what our alumni achieve in the classroom and then ultimately how we gave to our community throughout the four years of being a student at this school that has created such a tight-knit alumni. I think it's something that we all look forward to every year is coming together as a Moeller volleyball alumni and I think we are proud of what have accomplished cumulatively throughout our program's history."
