Numerous high schools around the area have raised money this year for breast cancer awareness. Many schools donated to national research groups like the Susan G. Komen Foundation and others, such as Portsmouth and Notre Dame, kept the money they raised in town.

Schools are calling the program "Volley for the Cure" and often the home team or sometimes both teams will wear pink jerseys. On "Volley for the Cure" game days usually all or part of the admission fee is taken up as a collection and concession sales as well as other collections are all donated.

The initial "Volley for the Cure" was between Sycamore and Loveland high schools in 2006. That event raised $4,000 and set in motion a chain of event that have helped to raise awareness and funds toward finding a cure for breast cancer.

The Ohio High School Volleyball Association web site says "Volley for the Cure is dedicated to all men and women who have been touched by breast cancer with the hope that this devastating disease will one day be cured."

Portsmouth and Notre Dame recently held their "Volley for the Cure" games and decided to donate the money to SOMC's Cancer Center Patient Compassion Fund.

The compassion fund helps defray costs of diagnostics, transport and procedures for those needing treatment that may be underinsured, uninsured or facing other financial hardships.

Portsmouth coach Dan Stanley and two of his team captains presented their $316 donation to the Cancer Center on Wednesday.

"As coaches it’s easy to go with a game we love and coach and play, like volleyball," Stanley said. "Also, we have our lives that we have to deal with too and I think helping out with causes like breast cancer helps us as human beings to move on and know that we can get away with the game of volleyball but still focus on real life issues too."

Notre Dame raised $255 at its event Saturday in a four-set win over Ironton St. Joe.

"We are glad to be able to contribute to it because we know it will help those people in our community fighting cancer, whether it's breast cancer or any cancer," Notre Dame coach Stephanie Craft said. "This fund is going to help those patients right here in our community. It's a fund based on donations, solely... (Our team) really enjoyed getting involved and being a part of it."

Stanley added that while the money will benefit patients, the whole experience helps benefit the players as well.

"I think its great for a young kid," Stanley said. "They might not realize what they're doing right now but 10, 20 years down the road they'll be able to say I helped out and played a game that I love too."

PDT Sports Department can be reached at pdtsports@portsmouth-dailytimes.com