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11/10/2019 11:00 PMGuilford, CT (November 11, 2019) — Thirty cheerleaders from Guilford Youth Football & Cheer raised $250 for Susan G. Komen Foundation New England after hearing Head Coach Erica Janosko tell her personal history with breast cancer and what wearing pink in October really means. They were short of their $500 goal, but the girls are sure they would have reached their goal if it wasn’t for the terrible weather at the end of October. More importantly, they know pink is more than a color and are motivated to raise more next year.
In late September, Guilford Youth Cheerleaders were handed pink pom poms and socks to accompany their usual green and white uniform. But as first through sixth grade girls, did they really know what it meant to “wear pink”? As the girls sat in a circle receiving their new accessories, Aliana, Coach Erica’s daughter, presented a special personalized pink bow with the recognizable breast cancer ribbon and the letter “E” in honor of their coach and her mom to each cheerleader. Aliana wanted “something to sparkle the way my mom does,” and worked with the other coaches to surprise her mom.
Coach Erica was spontaneously motivated to share her story and explain what breast cancer is, in a kind and age-appropriate manner. It was an experience that inspired the girls to collect donations during the half-time of each home Guilford Youth Football game. Donning special “I CHEER FOR” stickers that included a name of someone they wanted to honor, the girls collected donations in a pink bucket. Guilford fans, as well as spectators from Wallingford, North Haven, Shelton, Madison, and Cheshire all contributed.
“The memories of cancer are never far,” Erica recounts. “Small things can bring you back to those moments… smell, the sight of bandana, a date on the calendar. I try to live in the moment as much as I can. These girls bring out the best in me and I am so thankful to be able to coach my daughter and for the support I have from my family and friends.” After years of treatment she is in remission, yet vigilant of how cancer can return. Erica’s resilience shows in her day-to-day life as a wife and working mom of two athletic kids, Jacob and Aliana.
When the previous head coach departed last year, Coach Erica stepped up to Head Coach along with Alisha Rayner Romano and Assistant Coaches Jennifer Labbadia-Colón, Brita Rayner Romano, and Tina Messercola. Together they recruited an astounding 30 girls – doubling last year’s squad size and enabling the creation of two squads to raise the spirit of Guilford’s youth football spectators.
“Erica has a special approach and appreciation, that I can imagine comes from going through something so intense,” says GYF&C President, Rance Hillier. “Her approach is positive and inclusive. She jumped in to coach these girls and is commited to growing this program. When approached for approval to collect donations during Guilford games, my immediate response was ‘RUN WITH IT. I love it and support it 100%.’”
Guilford Youth Football & Cheer will be cutting a check for Susan G. Komen of New England in late November. If you would like to add to their $250 raised and get them closer to their $500 goal, please contact Jennifer at 617-820-8202 by November 26th.