Number of Participants: 12
Hours Donated: 10
Value of Time Served: $4,175
Event Type: Health & Medicine
Activity: Softball
School: West Seneca West Senior High School
Date: April 14, 2026
Location:
West Senior High School
Seneca Street, West Seneca
NY
About:
At West Seneca West Senior High School, the Varsity Softball team is showing that athletics can be about far more than wins and losses.
Throughout the season, the team has launched a meaningful initiative centered around wearing themed bows for each game, with every bow representing a different cause important to the players and coaches. From supporting those battling Alzheimer’s disease and childhood cancer to honoring individuals courageously fighting cancer, the initiative has transformed each game into an opportunity to spread awareness, inspire conversations, and support others.
Recently, the team took the field to honor those battling Alzheimer’s disease while helping raise awareness for the ongoing fight against it. Earlier in the week, the players also competed in support of children battling cancer, proudly wearing orange bows to recognize Childhood Cancer Awareness.
The team additionally honored the annual “Just Show Up” Tournament and Gerry Gentner’s courageous battle with abdominal cancer after the tournament was unfortunately canceled due to weather. Despite the cancellation, the players still chose to take the field in tribute, demonstrating the true spirit of community and compassion.
What makes the initiative especially powerful is that it is entirely player-led. Each player and coach signs up to dedicate one or two games throughout the season to a cause that is personally meaningful to them. They then create bows for the entire team and share the meaning behind their selected cause during pregame warmups.
The idea was sparked by junior Ella Wackowski, whose vision of “playing for more than just the game” quickly became a defining theme of the season.
With 12 student-athletes and three coaches participating, the initiative has become a symbol of unity, empathy, and leadership. Without relying on outside partnerships, the team has taken full ownership of the effort while using softball as a platform to uplift others and inspire awareness throughout the community.
West Seneca West Softball continues to demonstrate how student-athletes can create meaningful impact through small gestures rooted in compassion and purpose — proving that when teams come together for something bigger than the game, their influence can reach far beyond the field.
