Sussex Tech bowlers go pink for cancer awareness

Sparta - The Sussex County Technical School bowling team celebrated a statement win against High Point in their final regular season match on Wednesday, Feb. 6, but their victory wasn’t the only thing that made the bowlers stand out in the crowd at Sparta Lanes. The entire team was decked out in bright pink polo shirts to raise awareness for breast cancer research, an idea inspired by the cancer battles of women close to the team and the coach.
Tenth-year head coach Chad Gasiorek, a commercial baking instructor at the school, said that within the last year, a grandmother and two mothers of his team members had been diagnosed with breast cancer.
“It’s been really emotional for the kids,” Gasiorek said. "So we wanted to find a way to come together and show support.”
Gasiorek said he’s also had family members who have both been taken by and survived breast cancer.
“I’m lucky to still have my mom,” he said. “These days, you don’t know anyone who hasn’t been affected by this disease.”
On Lane 11, it was apparent that the camaraderie of the team went beyond their pink uniforms. The students cheered and coached each other as they bowled near to a school record to cap off what’s been a successful regular season for the Mustangs.
“We’ve been bowling well, but the schedule and the weather have been rough,” Gasiorek said, “We wanted to put our best effort out there today. So we talked about getting ready for sectionals, but more importantly, we talked about wearing these shirts. Everyone knows why we’re wearing them, and they know who we’re wearing them for.”