LT Volleyball Remembers Potts With Second Annual Cancer Fundraiser

When the Lyons Township girls volleyball team last year, Erin Potts wasn’t able to join them—at least, in person. But it’s hard to believe she wasn’t there in spirit.

Potts played for LT as a freshman and sophomore before being diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma, a bone cancer. Despite having her femur removed as part of treatment, she returned for her junior and senior year as an assistant coach, and saw the Lions play in the 2009 state finals before passing away at the age of 18.

On Tuesday afternoon, for the , the Lions squad dedicated their Senior Night to memorializing Potts—and to raising funds for the Sarcoma Foundation of America.

Last year, they raised over $2000 for the foundation.

Before the senior night game, LT coach Joann Pyritz addressed the crowd, many of whom were wearing lime-green shirts purchased to support the fundraising drive.

“We know that this is a difficult evening remembering, but we want you to know that we want to remember, because Erin still holds a very close and special place in our hearts,” Pyritz said.

Potts’ family (of La Grange) was in attendance to cheer on the Lions and receive a ceremonial bouquet from the team. Erin’s older sister Sarah, class of 2002, still holds LT records in numbers of kills and aces.

Mary Potts, Erin’s mother, offered profound thanks to the team for keeping her daughter’s memory alive.

“So many people are afraid, when a child dies, to speak the child’s name, because they’re afraid they’re going to make you sad—we feel the opposite,” Mary Potts said. “We feel that people who recognize her and speak her name and remember her carry her memory forward… then that brings awareness to people who are fighting cancer now.

“We’re grateful to the LT community and to the volleyball program and to Coach [Pyritz], and to everyone here who takes the time to celebrate Erin’s life and remember the kind of person she was.”

 Donations are still being accepted for the team’s fundraiser. Anyone interested can contact Coach Pyritz at this e-mail address.

Unfortunately, despite a valiant effort and tying their rival Hinsdale Red Devils in overall points scored, the Lions did lose the match in three games by scores of 24-26, 25-19 and 21-25.

The team is still well-positioned for the playoffs with an overall record of 16-6.