Tina's Story My name is Tina Reinprecht, the creator of the Play 4 the Cure movement. I am a high school and club field hockey coach and a field hockey event promoter. I am also a wife, a mom, a daughter, a sister, an aunt, a godmother, and a friend.
I have had the privilege of watching my three daughters grow up in the sport I love not merely as players but as citizens of the world and as children raised by the little sporting village we call field hockey. They and I have been touched by many special relationships drawn from teammates and their families, from coaches they have had, and even from opponents all stemming from the common passion of playing a sport - field hockey. As a coach, when I walk off the field or court, I always notice the patient faces of tireless supporters out of the corner of my eye, the moms and dads and sometimes grand moms and granddads who pick up their children or grandchildren after practice, extend a hug after a game - often congratulatory, sometimes comforting. I smile at what a catch in those glimpses, sometimes on the inside, sometimes on the outside, sometimes both inside and out.
I remember one of those glimpses 4 1/2 years ago that lingered. And although I had a smile on the outside, a knot was forming on the inside all because of seeing a hat in that glimpse. One of my players' moms was wearing a hat. It wasn't cold out that day yet she wore a hat. Two months later another mom came to practice wearing - a hat. Both of those women wore those hats to cover their thinning hair from chemotherapy treatments. And in that second moment, while my heart questioned, "what was going on?" my mind was made up that if I could ever find a way to create something that could show my support and appreciation for the mothers in our club fighting breast cancer, I would do it.
A fortuitous club move to the SportsPlex in Feasterville, PA gave me the opportunity to run an indoor tournament and dedicate proceeds to the fight against breast cancer. More specifically, our P4tCure tournament monies go to the Philadelphia Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. In two years we have donated over $11,000 to this organization. And now I am expanding the movement well beyond this annual tournament that is held just outside of Philadelphia. To anywhere in the U.S. field hockey is played.
The eventual goal is to have every field hockey team in the United States and beyond participate during the month of October in the Play 4 the Cure movement: middle school, high school, college, club, university teams - please consider and participate in the Play 4 the Cure movement the month of October. The month of October is designated as Breast Cancer Awareness month and the fall is the prime field hockey season in our nation. How perfectly fitting that we mesh peak field hockey season in our country with the national breast cancer awareness campaign spotlight brightly shining during the month of October.
It is simple and easy to become a part of Play 4 the Cure October - order a free Play4theCure kit from our corporate partner, Longstreth Women's Sports, www.longstreth.com. The kit contains breast cancer awareness information, pink wristbands to sell for a $1 donation, fundraising suggestions, how and where to report your fundraising efforts, and pink NFHS field hockey balls for your designated P4tC game in October or to use as a ceremonial ball at the beginning of an October match. Schedule one of your team's pasta parties at a participating Uno Chicago grills. Or visit our website and download the "P4tC How to Raise Money" document and you are well on your way. After you have completed your event, download and fill out the Team Donation Form and mail monies and form to the Play 4 the Cure, 1616 Stonington Circle, N.Wales, PA 19454. Please email us with your team name and city and state so we can post on the website. We want to shout out your participation! And post pictures from your event via the instructions on the Event Pictures Page! Share your Play Pink day with everyone!
Success can only be met by your participation..one pink ball, one pink ribbon at time. Make a Difference. Play Pink. Join us this October playing for the Cure!!!
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