High school softball: Swing-for-Life still going strong

WEST JORDAN — Last year 16-year-old Shelby Abeyta stood in the pitcher's circle of a softball field at Cottonwood Complex with other cancer survivors and wiped away tears that came when she looked at the hundreds of teenage softball players who offered her their love and support as she battled ovarian cancer.

This year, the Copper Hills junior will stand in the outfield with many of those same girls and offer that same love and support to cancer survivors, including her teammate's mother who battled breast cancer last summer.

Being the giver is something the young pitcher cherishes after a difficult sophomore season.

"I only got to pitch a few innings," said Abeyta of last year's Swing-for-Life Softball Tournament. "My teammates joked with me because I never cry. They said when I saw everybody there, they said, 'We bet you cry.' I looked at all the teams, and I just started bawling. I was a little nervous, but mostly touched."

This year has been a stark contrast to last season, but that doesn't mean Swing-For-Life isn't still a part of the Grizzlies' season.

"I am feeling way better," said Abeyta. "I don't have to schedule my chemo around games so that's an upside."

Copper Hills is one of 30 teams that will compete in this weekend's Ninth Annual Swing-For-Life Tournament and fundraiser at Cottonwood Complex. The entire event began rather simply as a hit-a-thon involving three schools and organized by Rowland Hall Softball coach Kathy Howa, who was still undergoing treatment for breast cancer at the time.

The effort has grown into a multi-state, multi-sport, year-round fundraising effort that goes to benefit the organization that saved Howa's life — Huntsman Cancer Institute. Because Swing-for-Life relies on volunteers, 100 percent of the money these teams raise through raffles, bake sales, Pink Games and good, old-fashioned solicitation, goes to the Huntsman's cancer research facility.

In nine years, the event, as well as companion Pink Games in sports from football to baseball, has raised $638,000.

"My goal is $700,000 by the end of the school year," said Howa. "I get those thoughts (about how its grown) a lot when I get overwhelmed with how quickly it grew. It became contagious — but in a good way!"

Howa said raising money is obviously necessary to finding a cure to all cancers, but that's not her number one priority when teams gather this Friday in three Salt Lake Valley locations to play games and show support.