ST. ALBANS - When it comes to rivalries, they don’t get more intense than the one between BFA-St. Albans and Missisquoi Valley Union.
On Friday, Oct. 16, the Franklin County schools will meet once again, but this time both teams are guaranteed to walk off the field as winners - in the game of life.
Senior girls from both schools will play a “powder puff” flag football game at 7 p.m. on the Collins-Perley football field in support of families dealing with cancer-related expenses.
The idea for the game is the brainchild of BFA senior Alli Berno and inspired by the fight being waged by Ross Toof, a longtime youth coach in St. Albans who was diagnosed with brain cancer this summer.
“When I played soccer my junior year Ross was one of the assistant coaches,” said Berno. “And he helped me through some tough times. He’s a wonderful person and does a lot for kids in the community. When I found out he had cancer, I was shocked and I wanted to do something.
“I had heard of kids in other states having powderpuff games to promote school spirit and I thought it would be great if we could get our rivals from MVU to play against us and use it as a fundraiser,” said Berno, a standout ice hockey and lacrosse player.
“We thought it was a great idea,” said MVU student council advisor Jean Gagne. “We try to focus on community service and this is a perfect example of the type of lessons we try to teach. We want kids to make a difference in the lives of others.”
BFA athletic director Dan Marlow said he can think of no better way for the community to show support for the Toof family than to follow their selfless lead.
“The fact that Ross’ struggles are being used as the inspiration for the game is appropriate,” said Marlow. “He’s made a tremendous impact on many kids over the years and it’s nice, despite his family’s predicament, that he’s going to make an impact on even more people.”
The game will be played like traditional football, with 11 players on the field, four downs on offense and cheerleaders on the sidelines.
However, at least some of the cheerleaders will boys.
“That’s a powder puff tradition,” said Berno, who said both teams have been practicing for a couple of weeks.
“The night is going to be a lot of fun, but we’re taking the game very seriously,” said Berno. “We want to win.”
Gagne said MVU’s squad will be about 15 players, about half the size of the BFA team, but what they lack in quantity they will make up for in quality.
“We have some really good athletes,” Gagne said. “We’re going to be a formidable opponent.”
Each girl on the team was asked to get at least $50 in pledges and most have exceeded that goal. Admission will be charged at the game ($3 adults, $1 students) and players are selling baked goods at the event to raise money that will directly benefit families in the community.
Funds raised from the game will be given to the Jim Bashaw Cancer Foundation, which is administered by the Northwestern Medical Center in St. Albans. The Foundation provides financial support to families affected by cancer. Bashaw was a popular teacher and highly-successful girls basketball coach in St. Albans who died from his own battle with brain cancer in August 2000.
“Everyone has someone - a family member, a friend, a neighbor - who has been affected by cancer,” said Berno. “I know the foundation will use the money we raise to help people who really need it.”
Marlow said Berno deserves kudos for coming up with an idea that will make an immediate and tangible benefit in the community.
“Alli deserves a lot of credit for coming up with the idea and kids from both schools deserve credit for jumping on board to make it happen,” said Marlow, who is helping with the logistics. “It’s shows we have some pretty incredible kids in these communities.”
There’s a Facebook page dedicated to the game and if anyone wants to make a contribution to the foundation in support of the powderpuff game they can contact the foundation through this link to the Northwestern Medical Center website.
Editor's note: pictured in the featured image on the home page are from left, BFA's Brittany Dupont, MVU's Erin McDonald, BFA's Taylor Gagne, MVU's Courtney Gagne, BFA's Andrea Canzano and BFA's Alli Berno. Thanks to Josh Kaufmann, sports editor of the St. Albans Messenger, for providing this photo.
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