When the Uniondale High School girls’ volleyball team recently took the court dressed in pink and black — a bold shift from their usual black-and-gold uniforms — the gesture was more than just about trying to win a game.
The teammates were remembering, supporting and playing for something much bigger than individual or team achievements.
On Oct. 11, both varsity and junior varsity teams hosted Westbury High School for a special Breast Cancer Awareness matchup. The Uniondale players wore custom pink uniforms — funded through the school’s budget — as a tribute to survivors, fighters, and those lost to the disease. The uniforms will be worn throughout October.
The desire to make an impact came from the team, but athletic director Peter Cardone helped bring it to life — securing funds and ensuring the uniforms arrived in time.
“The girls wanted to do a special volleyball game this year, an effort to raise awareness for breast cancer,” Cardone said. “I thought it’d be a great idea to make sure our girls have uniforms that represent Breast Cancer Awareness Month.”
Head coach Dan Splendore met with Cardone a few times to go over some uniform options and what they came up with was a pink and black color scheme, with pink as the dominate and black only their jersey number.
Cardone noted this was the athletic department’s first event of its kind since he began in 2021. He said it made him proud to see the initiative come from the students and coaches themselves.
He continued to praise the school staff and district superintendent Monique Darrisaw-Akil, calling them “awesome,” while also lauding Splendore, assistant coach Amanda Prescia and junior varsity coach Cole Pollock, who works closely with varsity coaches.
“It goes to show you how great the kids we have here at Uniondale,” Cardone said. “They want to always do great things, and I want them to be recognized.”
Splendore echoed that sentiment by adding, “This group is truly special. They didn’t just want to look cute in pink. They wanted to do something meaningful.”
Varsity players also added personal touches by painting their legs with pink paint. Team captain Zahara Saintyl purchased body paint so the players could decorate themselves before the game. Some even purchased their own matching accessories
Some of the girls legs were covered in their jersey number and ribbon designs with pink paint. And some were even adorned with handprints.
“They were all in the bathroom together, painting each other,” Splendore said. “It gave them another opportunity to bond — real camaraderie.”
The event was held in partnership with Dig Pink, a national volleyball-based campaign run by the Side-Out Foundation, which funds research for metastatic breast cancer. Uniondale raised more than $100 through in-person donations collected at the game.
“I registered with the Cancer Foundation — specifically for volleyball, they have this big pink event,” Splendore said. “We raised over $100, which I don’t think gained as much steam as I had hoped. But every cent counts.”
After registering, Splendore received donation materials and photo station supplies from the foundation. At the game, he set up a Spike Out wall, where attendees could write the names of loved ones impacted by cancer and pose for photos.
Many of the players and coaches unfortunately have experienced personal ties to cancer. Splendore’s father is a prostate cancer survivor, and Prescia lost two family members to breast cancer.
The head coach said he believes that as social media increases, so will awareness of the disease because of its connection to millions of people.
“With (Gov. Kathy) Hochul’s new cell phone policy, I think we as a society or teachers were like, ‘These kids lack everything. They don’t care. They are only on their phones,’” Splendore explained. “My volleyball team showed that it’s still there in the kids.”
Even though high school students are young and might not understand, people often sell them short, Splendore said, adding that they know more than we realize, especially as they become mentally mature.
“It was something I felt my girls should know about and experience,” Splendore said. “They were very adamant about spreading the word and trying our best to raise some money for a great cause.
“It meant a lot to us,” he added. “We had real conversations with the girls about what this means — beyond social media and photos. They really understood.”
Both Uniondale varsity and junior varsity teams came away victorious. The JV won two of three sets, and the varsity swept its matchup, 3–0. But Splendore emphasized that the wins weren’t what mattered most.
“We won, but it wasn’t about the score,” he explained. “Even if we lost, we learn and move on. But a win is great, learning how to support each other, learning how to support a cause. They supported a cause. They supported each other.
“These girls are everything I’ve ever looked for in a team,” Splendore continued. “Years from now, they won’t remember the score, but they’ll remember how they felt.”
