Members of Columbine and Dakota Ridge basketball teams visited patients at the infusion center at Lutheran Hospital on Friday. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
WHEAT RIDGE — Basketball players from Columbine and Dakota Ridge high schools took time Friday to spend time with people fighting for much more than just a victory on the court.
Hours before the girls/boys varsity doubleheader between the South Jeffco rival schools at Dakota Ridge High School, 14 players from both programs — along with Dakota Ridge athletic director Matt Heckel, Dakota Ridge girls basketball coach Diane Thompson and Columbine boys basketball coach Clay Thielking — visited patients at the infusion center at Lutheran Hospital in Wheat Ridge.
“I hoped to make them smile and try to make them forget about what they are going through for at least a little bit,” Dakota Ridge junior Drew Dominic said after spending time with some patients who were receiving chemotherapy treatment for cancer. “Try to make them happy and put a smile on their face.”
Players handed out gift bags and had conversations about basketball and several other topics with patients.
“It was a great time. It was really good to come down here and see some patients who need some help and support from us, Columbine Rebels,” Columbine senior guard Marcus Tait. “It was good to get together with Dakota Ridge. Coming together like this is a really good thing for the community and for us.”
Tait admitted he was a little nervous, but it was definitely a positive vibe the high school students were able to provide the infusion center during their visit.
“You get in there and you see the people who are fighting really, really hard,” Tait said. “You kind of blend in and show them your support. It is eye-opening for sure.”
Dakota Ridge and Wheat Ridge has done join visits before to Lutheran Hospital during their cancer awareness football game during the fall. The theme for the varsity doubleheader basketball game Friday is “Fight Together”.
“We do fight together. There is a bigger battle than a rivalry (basketball) game,” said Coach Thompson, who lost her father from cancer. “I wanted the kids to understand that even thou we are rivals, we can come together on things like this.”
Thompson and her trio of players had an emotional visit with a couple where the wife was there with her husband who is fighting cancer.
“Our girls got a little teary-eyed the last couple we talked to,” Thompson said. “We told her she was being strong for him and we want to be strong for both of them.”
“You don’t know until you actually know someone who goes through it to know what cancer is all about. I just hope this is an experience they can take. It feels good to help the community and be apart of something.” Thompson added.
Prior to their girls/boys varsity doubleheader Friday night, Dakota Ridge and Columbine players handed out gift bags at Lutheran Hospital. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)