In a show of solidarity to the Carleton College swim team who suddenly lost their Senior Captain Ted Mullin to sarcoma cancer last year, the Whitman swim team, along with the varsity alpine ski team, swam in the “Hour of Power” on Tuesday, Nov. 6.
The event hoped to raise awareness about sarcom
a cancer, which affects the musculoskeletal system. It has predominately afflicted young people where 55 percent of all cases in the United States have been in people aged 15 to 19 years old. It is the fifth most prevalent cancer among that age group.
The Carleton College swim team and their head coach, Whitman alumnus Andy Clark, held the first “Hour of Power” last year with most of the schools in Carleton’s conference participating along with teams in Colby College’s conference, the college where Mullin’s brother is enrolled. This year they are branching out to make it a more national event, and Clark personally asked Whitman Head Coach Jennifer Blomme if her team was on-board.
“We immediately thought it was a great idea,” said Blomme. “I wanted to make sure the team was behind it, and I brought it to the captains, and they just thought it was a great idea, and they came up with the idea of passing out yellow ribbons today.”
The goal next year is to have all Division III schools participating.
It was advertised as a swim team event, but several different varsity athletes showed up to watch in support of the swim team’s efforts, including the entire cross country team.
“I really liked seeing how many other varsity teams came out and supported us,” said swim team co-captain Ysbrand Nusse.
The alpine skiers even swam with the team, as it was an especially important event for ski team Head Coach Tom Olson who lost a friend to cancer this past summer.
“It is very personal to everyone, I mean, everyone probably knows somebody who’s had one form of cancer or another, and you just never know when it’s going to strike and when someone you care about is no longer here. Maybe some of these athletes or swimmers knew the swimmer who passed away, maybe not, but it’s a very small world of sport and athletics, and we’re all trying to rally around somebody else’s hardships. I think this is just one way we can show support to the other teammates who did lose a teammate,” said Olson.
