'It's more than sports.' Curtis siblings honor grandmother at Breast Cancer Awareness game
ASHBURNHAM ― As Oakmont freshman Mia Curtis got set in her position as the third baseman, she had a familiar face alongside her.
Monty Tech head coach Dave Reid stood in foul territory as third base coach. He and Curtis have the unique opportunity to go against one another as grandfather and granddaughter. During Monday’s game at Oakmont, their coincidental positions side by side on the field were particularly special.
Oakmont softball and baseball hosted Breast Cancer Awareness games on May 13 to celebrate the life of Elizabeth Reid, who passed away in March. Better known as Betty, she was the devoted wife of Dave and grandmother to Mia and her brother, Sam, who was playing across the outfield for the baseball team.
Betty was a champion of Gardner-area athletics, always supporting her husband and grandchildren. At the games on Monday, they had the chance to show their support to her.
“It was more than just a game today for both teams,” Oakmont assistant coach Rachel Sinclair said.
Both Oakmont and Monty Tech softball teams were clad in pink uniforms, made special for the game. Pink balloons hung from the dugouts of the softball and baseball field, and both teams took a moment to honor Betty before the game.
Oakmont softball battled Monty Tech to a 10-5 victory, but as Spartans coach Katrina Bunting said after the game, “everybody won today.”
“This was really important to our girls,” Bunting said. “Once we started talking about it, they really jumped in and said, ‘let’s do this, let’s make it look good, let’s make it right.’ It's a respectful thing to do for the family – a family that’s had a lot of impact in our school.”
Throughout the game, Oakmont students handed out flyers to fans with information on how to donate to the cause Betty cared about deeply, The North County Land Trust. She worked on the board of directors of the organization and dedicated much of her life’s work to bettering the community through nature.
Coach Reid was proud to see his community rally around his family in recognition of Betty. He hopes he can carry on her legacy in the work she did for the North County Land Trust.
“She was the female Paul Bunyan. She would go out, cut trees and trails with a chainsaw. She was unbelievable,” Reid said.
The energy at the softball game was mirrored over at the baseball field. The Spartans walked off in the bottom of the seventh to take a 3-2 victory over St. Paul, but even during the excitement of a big win, Betty was still on their mind. After the game, Ben Forbes, who singled for the walk-off, told his teammate and friend Curtis that the hit was for him.
“It’s not really about the different schools or who you're playing," Curtis said. "It's more than sports, really."
This article originally appeared on Gardner News: Play for a cause: Oakmont, Monty Tech softball honor coach's late wife
