In college I was a setter, and I thrived most when I had the creative freedom to make my own game time decisions. We scouted the opponent, but the final decision came down to flow, feeling, and a sense of confidence to dish the ball and execute the play.
I applied this same approach to our Ambassador program. I asked: how many guidelines do our Ambassadors really need? We narrowed it to this: help fund Side-Out's research and share it. That's it. Give gentle guidelines with room for creativity, and youth will exceed expectations–which is exactly what happened.
Ambassador Spotlight
Melissa Thacker, Sophomore at San Dieguito Academy
I visited Melissa and her team before their Dig Pink match in October. We sat on the floor before a practice, and the team was engaged as Melissa told her personal story. Her aunt had passed away from breast cancer, fueling her passion for Dig Pink. For her Advocacy Project, Melissa sent a newsletter to all volleyball-connected teachers, staff, and families with a powerful message:
“This night isn’t just about volleyball or any one sport—it’s about rallying for people like my Auntie Cam.
She taught my mom how to drive and baked the best pumpkin chocolate chip cookies every fall ~ cookies we still make today with her recipe. She was strong and full of life, but breast cancer took her too soon. Now I’m learning to drive, and I think about how she was there for my mom in that same moment of life. I was five when we lost her, and I wish we had more tomorrows with her.”
Melissa’s passion was contagious, inspiring her entire community to raise over $2,000 for Side-Out. Her truth motivated her school to host Dig Pink for the first time, and they’ll be back next year. Melissa isn’t alone. With other Ambassadors like her, this is just the beginning.
(No surprise here, Melissa is also a setter).
Student leaders making a difference! Meet Lucy Palmer, Lightridge High School's Dig Pink Ambassador who led her team to raise over $4,100 in their first year - organizing fun runs, creating social media campaigns, and designing outreach materials that reached local news outlets. When challenges arose, Lucy stepped up with creative solutions and inspired her entire program to get involved. Ready to empower your student-athletes as Side-Out Ambassadors? Learn more: https://side-out.org/dig-pink/ambassador-program/
Social Media as a Tool for Change
Many Ambassadors took to social media for their projects, educating their community about metastatic breast cancer, fundraising tips and tricks, and promoting their match. Side-Out Ambassador and Bates College student-athlete, Kate Ares, posted about her Dig Pink event daily leading up to the event. She incorporated an alumni spotlight, MBC facts, and other information crucial to the event.
The Bates VB Dig Pink Account was created by Kate Ares to promote her match.
Other news from our Ambassadors
Texas Ambassadors Charlotte Sigler (Austin HS) and Alexandra Schoenherr (John Cooper) were back for another year of the Ambassador Program. This year, both schools combined raised over $17,000 for metastatic breast cancer research. Texas, way to lead the way!
Alexandra Schoenherr (John Cooper School) & Charlotte Sigler (Austin HS)
