10 November, 2014
Another season has begun and the Hopkinton High Cheerleaders (HHC) have, as in the past, started out strong. On October 25th the HHC went to the Panther Invitational in Marlboro MA. Where they came in first place in division two. They were proud and happy to have strong start to the season, but there was a special twist to the particular competition. Head Marlboro coach, Adrienne DeGeorge, and The Varsity Marlboro Cheer team have “adopted” a young man, Dylan, who is battling brain cancer. Adrienne sent out a challenge to all 20 teams competing. What follows is a quote from an email Adrienne sent to Mellissa Zwang, Head Coach of HHC…
“For the past 3 years my varsity team and I have had the pleasure and honor of being a part of The Jimmy Fund Walk in Boston. One of my alumni and her family are a huge part of this event and I was lucky enough to be able to join them with my team in the fight to find a cure to this horrific disease. Three years ago we were lucky enough to meet Dylan who is one of the HEROS that we walk for, and with! Dylan is 6 years old and in 2011 was diagnosed with a brain tumor. He had 3 tumors with one that is inoperable. Even though Dylan is fighting the fight, he has also started his own service project called Cars for Kids with Cancer. He is collecting matchbox cars and trucks (they have to be newly packaged, not used and unwrapped) and takes them with him to his chemo treatments and every time he visit's Dana Farber. When he arrives he hands out a car or truck to each child that is a patient at Dana Farber to try and make their day a little bit better! Currently this amazing 6 year old boy has collected 4000 matchbox cars and trucks! My team and I fell in love with this little guy the minute we met him and I know you will to! I am adding a special competition between the teams this year in honor of Dylan! We are asking all teams to bring as many match box cars and trucks as you can. The team that brings the most cars/trucks will receive the 1st Panther Invitational Community Service award as well as custom bows in the Jimmy Fund colors for your team. We are also so lucky to say that Dylan with his family will be at our event and in the awards ceremony to receive all the cars and trucks and talk about his amazing project! The winning team will also take a picture with our hero! Please help me make this day amazing for this inspirational little boy!”
Coach Zwang and HHC got to work. The week prior to the Panther invitational they solicited donations to help pay for the cars and accepted donations of the Matchbox Cars directly. There were 20 teams at the competition and a total of 1800 Matchbox cars were collected… more than a third of those cars (680) were collected by Coach Zwang and HCC to give to Dylan. Although they won the competition that day… winning the 1st Panther Invitational Community Service Award was far more meaningful and gratifying. Congratulations to the Hopkinton Cheerleaders and Coach Zwang for all your hard work on, and off, the mat!!
On a similar note, on November 2nd the Hopkinton Hiller Cheerleaders traveled to Holliston High School for the Tri-Valley League Championship. They competed against, Ashland, Bellingham, Holliston, Medway, Norton and Westwood. This is also a qualifying event for The South Regional Championship to be held later this month. The Hopkinton Cheerleaders bested all the competition and became the Tri-Valley League Champions for the third year in a row and automatically qualified for the South Regionals. Congratulations HHC!!
by John Cardillo
