The CT Softball Blog

DERBY—It is in the darkest of times when we are forced to remember that the games we play are simply that. They’re just games.

But then there are the games that are being played at Derby High School this coming weekend—the softball games on Saturday, May 4, that for the past 12 years have raised more than $36,000 toward for the fight against breast cancer.

On Saturday, at Payden Park, the Derby softball program will once again host its 13^th annual Pink Game, benefitting the Hewitt Center for Breast Wellness at Griffin Hospital.

These are the games that can be a beacon of light in dark times, a distraction from the real world that can be so cruel and unforgiving. And this year the event is bigger and better than ever with five games on tap over the course of the whole day.

“So, we have two big events that (Derby High athletics) are a part of,” explained DHS athletic director and assistant softball coach Jenn Moffat. “In the fall we do our Powder Puff game and on the first day of school, everybody wants to know when the Powder Puff game is. Then, at Christmas time, we start getting, ‘When is the Pink Game? When is the Pink Game?’ We have people that come from out of town for this game. It’s amazing.”

In 2011, the Derby softball had its world rocked when Lori DeMartino, wife of then-head coach Joe DeMartino, was diagnosed with cancer.

Instead of feeling helpless and unable to do anything, however, the school got behind the team putting together a fund-raising game against neighboring Ansonia.

“Jenn Moffatt and myself decided to put this Breast Cancer benefit game together to do something for the people who were suffering,” said Joe DeMartino, who these days serves as the Town of Derby’s mayor. “We wanted to do something to raise money to help people out. We called over to Ansonia and they were happy to join us.”

Nobody realized back then that a tradition was born.

Year after year, though, Derby softball returned to the field in the fight against a disease that touches everybody.

This year’s Derby game is even more special because the starting pitcher for the Red Raiders is Kaelyn DeMartino, the youngest child of Joe and Lori, who has been in remission since her initial battle with the disease.

The game has been a part of her world for almost her whole life.

“It means a lot to me because I know it started because of my mom,” Kaelyn said. “I remember when it happened and she was in the hospital, I was staying with relatives at these different houses. I’ve attended every single game because I had to, but I loved it. It was always fun to me and now I get to play in it for these last two years. It’s just been a great experience.”

It is also an annual emotional experience for the DeMartino family, because Lori DeMartino still returns to Payden Park to throw out the first pitch.

“It’s definitely very emotional,” Kaelyn said. “I remember last year I was tearing up because I was watching my mom throw out the first pitch. It’s something I’m glad I get to see because I know she’s a survivor.”

The Red Raiders are also allowing Kaelyn DiMartino, and teammate Anastasia Stanis, a senior, a bigger hand in this year’s event. Through their status with the school’s National Honor Society, both players are in charge of collecting donations for this year’s game as part of their community service requirement.

“Obviously student first, over athlete,” Moffat said. “So they’re kind of taking the helm. This is their community service project for the year, so we’re giving it to them.”

Cancer is a disease that touches pretty much everybody, so when Derby’s staff wanted to expand the day to include other teams, it wasn’t tough to find people wanting to join the cause. They only had to look at their immediate family to find growth.

It started with one of their own as Notre Dame-Fairfield softball coach Jamie Bartone, who played for Coach DeMartino before graduating from Derby High (and has returned to the work at the school) agreed to play her game against Stratford as part of the Pink Day event.

“I was very excited about it,” Bartone said. “Derby is my roots and my hometown for life, and it’s just so special to see this community come together, especially for a family that is so close to myself, as well. I’ve known the DeMartino’s for so long and that just makes it even more special.

“And it’s not going to be a one-and-done,” Bartone promised. “I’m tied to this town forever.”

Likewise, Stratford head coach Gary Sherrick was more than happy to bring his Red Devils to the event.

“When I was asked about being a part of this day there was no doubt about it,” Sherrick said. “Being friends with the Derby coaching staff and Notre Dame it was a perfect fit. We have players on our team that have had mothers battle this type of cancer so I know it hits home for a bunch of our players and to be a part of this is special and an honor to stand by my female student athletes as we help fight the fight.”

When second-year Derby coach Carlin Ali was told about the game, before she even had the job, she too went all in on the idea.

“They actually mentioned it in my interview process, how important it was to the softball program,” Ali said. “They wanted to keep the tradition alive, and even before the game I didn’t fully get it. I was all in, I bought in. But that day last year was definitely like a ‘Wow’ moment.”

This year, Derby is growing the event even more.

In the past, the softball and baseball team have taken part, along with Ansonia, but when the baseball schedule didn’t work out this spring Moffat came up with another idea.

“I said let’s invite some friends,” Moffat said.

Two JV games (Derby JV will play Stratford at 10 a.m., Woodland JV will play Cheshire at 1 p.m) will be played along two varsity games (Notre Dame-Fairfield vs. Stratford at 4 p.m., Derby vs. Ansonia at 7 p.m.).

“My girls have their pink ribbons all ready to go,” Bartone said.

The day is capped with an alumni game following the varsity event.

“The alumni game was actually legit for the first couple of years when a lot of kids would come back and wanted to play. It was fierce,” Moffat said. “Then over the years people moved away, got involved in other things. Now it’s just a fun game to end the day.”

A community coming together, having fun, and raising money for a cause that is so personal to them; an event that has grown and grown into something bigger than anybody imagined.

“In 2011, it kind of rocked our whole world,” Moffat said. “I remember the first year did this, being down on the field and Lori was just going through treatments very early on in her battle, she got out of the car and waved. Just thinking about it, I’m getting emotional. This is a game that means everything to all of us.”

Bigger and better than ever, a tradition continues at Derby High this Saturday.

(For more information on Derby High Softball’s Pink Game, or to find out how to make a donation, email athletic director Jenn Moffat at jmoffat@derbyps.org).

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