This Year’s Breast Cancer Tournament Dedicated To Gabby Murrieta
The third annual Kickin’ It Challenge, which will be held in San Diego on June 21st and 22nd at Ryan Park, dedicates the soccer tournament each year to someone special.
Founder and President, Pam Bickel, dedicates the 2014 Tournament to Gabby Murrieta a former San Diego – Poway Vaqueros youth soccer player. Murrieta’s life was impacted by breast cancer. As a young girl, Murrieta watched her mom fight a long 18 year battle with breast cancer and passed away when Murrieta was only 15 years old.
Soccer, the beautiful game played all over the world, was a great comfort to Murrieta and her mother.
“My mom found so much joy and comfort from watching me play soccer. She was always present at soccer practices, games and tournaments. It made her very happy to see my passion and love for the sport grow over the years. My coaches were instrumental in allowing me to continue to play soccer through my family’s financial struggles as a result of my mom’s treatments. My soccer team was my rock and helped me handle my mom’s death in a positive way. I don’t know where I’d be today without the support and guidance I had from the Poway Soccer community that my mom cared about so much.”
Murreta’s mom was involved with youth soccer in Poway in all ways possible. She helped the “team mom” whenever she could, she sewed team banners, and helped plan every year-end party.
Gabby continued her playing soccer and continued her education. Murrieta attended college with the help of a scholarship from the National Susan G. Komen Foundation. Murrieta has now graduated college and is excited to be working for the Susan G. Komen Foundation in San Diego as their Development Assistant.
Murrieta has been an integral part of helping KIC this past year through her personal support and fund raising assistance with items for the KIC Silent Auction.
“We’re humbled to be able to dedicate this year’s tournament to Gabby Murrieta. She is an inspiration to us all.” Said Bickel.
The Kickin’ It Challenge is still accepting donations for the upcoming 2014 tournament – so please, if you or your company have the ability to donate an item for the auction, please just click here and email Pam Bickel.
The Kickin’ It Challenge is San Diego’s first youth soccer tournament that benefits Susan G. Komen San Diego. One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime, and the Kickin’ It Challenge is a response to the many affected by breast cancer in the soccer community. Over one hundred teams will “Unite in the Fight” against breast by participating in this unique tournament, hosted by Poway Vaqueros and to be played at Escondido’s Frances Ryan Park on June 21st and 22nd, 2014. To learn more, click here.
Since its inception in 1995, Komen San Diego has raised more than $12.5 million to fund local non-profits who provide everything from free diagnostic mammograms and surgeries to meal delivery, child care and temporary financial aid. Seventy-five percent of every dollar raised in San Diego stays right here in San Diego County to fund free diagnostic mammograms, treatment and services for uninsured and underinsured women and their families. The remaining 25 percent provides funds for international breast cancer research.
In fact, next to the U.S. government, Susan G. Komen® is the largest funder of breast cancer research in the world.
