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Methacton High School Field Hockey has been dedicated to advocating and fundraising for cancer research since 2014.

Play4TheCure Tradition and Origination

Although the National Foundation for Cancer Research is committed to supporting all cancers, Methacton High School Field Hockey chooses to support breast cancer research to celebrate Coach Casey Leap’s journey. Leap is the team’s goalkeeper coach and is a breast cancer survivor.

“Coach Leap continues to inspire me every day with her continuing battle,” Senior Varsity Goalkeeper Molly Frey discloses. “Yes, she’s in remission, but she continues getting certain treatments. She comes to practice from doctor’s appointments that honestly sound brutal. Yet, she comes with a smile on her face and ready to help.”

Since Coach Leap inspired the Play4TheCure tradition in 2014, it has become custom for goalkeepers to manage the one predesignated Play4TheCure game per season. Sammi Steele started the trend in 2014, followed by Sarah Park in 2015 and Molly’s older  sister, Addie, in 2016. Eventually, Molly was given the privilege of managing Methacton High School’s Field Hockey’s Play4TheCure event in Fall 2018.

“I was honored to be able to be in charge of this event, not only to honor Coach Leap but also because my grandmother passed away from breast cancer and my grandfather passed away from lung cancer” Molly reveals. “Cancer has affected my family, and being able to raise money in an attempt to find a cure is awesome!”

Molly admits to being fueled by healthy competition. “I am very competitive,” Molly confesses. “Taking over after Addie fueled me to attempt to earn more than she did. That fuel to my fire helped me to raise $4,397 for cancer research.”

Fundraising Methods

Methacton High School Field Hockey fundraises using a combination of online and offline methods. Every year, the team creates a Crowdrise page, allowing student-athletes to ask family members and friends for donations in the weeks before and after the game.

Their primary offline fundraising method is their annual bake sale. Players volunteer to bake and bring various treats to sell at the match. This year, the bake sale raised $600.

Varsity goalkeepers also have the freedom to explore other fundraising methods. When Molly’s sister was in charge of their Play4TheCure event, she promoted the sale of $1 pink balloons that were used to honor family and friends affected by cancer. “We wrote the names of family members and friends who are fighting or fought the battle with cancer, then we set them free,” Molly recalls.

In Fall 2018, Molly established a “dress in pink day” at the school, encouraging teachers to donate money and wear pink.

Since 2014, Methacton High School Field Hockey has raised more money every year. The money they raised in Fall 2018 was boosted by Merck Foundation Partnership, who matched donations up to $761.

Game Day Atmosphere

Molly shares that their Play4TheCure event is the most exciting game of the year. “It’s such a fun day honoring people who have fought or are currently fighting,” Molly says. “We dye our hair pink, get pink hair wraps, put little breast cancer tattoos on our faces and wear as much pink as possible. It gets everyone really hyped to play and to be able to play with a reason other than just to win.”

About Molly Frey

Molly Frey is a senior and the Fall 2018 varsity goalkeeper for Methacton High School Field Hockey. Molly participated in Play4TheCure at Methacton High School for four years. After graduation, she will attend Temple University to continue her field hockey career. Her sister, Addie Frey, is currently the field hockey goalkeeper at Ursinus College.

Molly wants to thank her mother for helping Play4TheCure be a success: “She helped me formulate emails to family, friends and teammates. She also ran the event as I was on the field by managing the bake, helping our announcer with the speaker and answering any questions people had.”