University of Georgia Athletics
When Pink Becomes Personal
January 26, 2015 | Gymnastics
A touching segment with Chelsea Davis and her grandfather passing before the pink meet.
Jan. 26, 2015
By Anne Noland
UGA Sports Communications
Thirteen years ago, Pink Meets did not exist. Cancer awareness and gymnastics had never been used in the same sentence. Last Saturday, as the gymnasts ran out of the tunnel in pink leotards and the fans waved pink pompoms in the air, a new reality existed. This change, though it might appear simply an annual Georgia tradition, is happening across the country, and it is because of the Gymdogs.
In 2003, Georgia hosted the first-ever Pink Meet in collegiate gymnastics. It sparked a movement as every NCAA gymnastics program now hosts a Pink Meet each season. Yet this was more than a marketing idea or a trend-setting fad for the Gymdogs. It was more, even, than a fundraiser for a good cause.
It was personal.
One of Georgia's own gymnasts, Talya Vexler, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2002 at the age of 23. She competed for Georgia from 1999-2002, earning three All-America honors and helping the Gymdogs win a national championship during that time. Vexler decided to stay in Athens an extra year to finish her degree. It was during that fifth year she was diagnosed with cancer.
"As a team, we went through that treatment with her," Suzanne Yoculan, former head coach of the Gymdogs, says. "Cancer has touched everyone in some way, and it has really touched our team."
Vexler underwent chemo and a double mastectomy and is now almost 12 years cancer free. But she is not the only member of the Gymdog community to face the disease. Other individuals close to program, included the former team doctor, alumni and many relatives of the gymnasts, have fought personal battles with cancer in the last several years.
During the recent off-season, Yoculan and current head coach Danna Durante decided they wanted to take a stand against cancer and support the Athens community in a stronger way.
"The community has been such a tremendous support of Georgia gymnastics since 1984," Yoculan says. "The growth we've had from 200 fans to 10,000 is because of community support. The Gymdogs have come from all over the country, but they've come to love the people of Athens. We know that we can make a difference and do something that is really a commitment to helping this community."
And so Gymdogs United was birthed. Gymdogs United is a joint initiative between the current team and program alumni to raise money and awareness for the Cancer Foundation of Northeast Georgia. It is an ongoing effort, both in and out of season, to support the local community through an organization that uses the entirety of its donations to help Northeast Georgians battling cancer.
The first Gymdogs United event, a silent auction held during Sneak Peak in December, raised close to $7,000 for the foundation. Items bought in the auction included everything Gymdog-themed from autographed mats to the opportunity to watch a meet on the floor with Yoculan.
Gymdogs United also initiated a Cartwheel-A-Thon at the Oconee Gymnastics Center, and 100 percent of the money raised went to the Cancer Foundation of Northeast Georgia. Family and friends were encouraged to each sponsor one cartwheel, and the gymnasts attempted to do as many cartwheels as possible in a minute. The winners of the event, Lexie and Jainie Day, raised $600 in total.
"We hope that the amount of money that we're able to raise will continue to grow and that we'll be able to get more gym clubs throughout the state involved," Yoculan says. "The Gymdogs have a natural platform with our fans, so what better way to use it than to do something that's this important."
Georgia gymnastics has placed community service and involvement at the forefront of its efforts for many years. The Gymdogs leave their imprints on local elementary schools, food banks, Special Olympics, on-campus organizations and various other charities on a weekly basis.
But cancer and the Pink Meet "hit extra close to home," as Durante puts it, and Gymdogs United has become a focal point for the entire Georgia gymnastics program.
"For me personally, cancer has touched my family in so many ways," Durante says. "I want to do anything I can to raise awareness or support for those who have cancer. Talya Vexler having breast cancer at such a young age was very impactful for the program, and I think it will always be near and dear to Georgia's heart."
To partner with Gymdogs United, email gymdogsunited@gmail.com. For more information on the Cancer Foundation of Northeast Georgia, visit www.cancerfoundationofnega.org.
