LI HS Girls Volleyball Team Rallies Around Coach With Cancer

FARMINGVILLE, NY—Sachem East High School girls varsity volleyball coach Amanda Schmohl says that battling breast cancer was the hardest thing she ever did, but one thing made it easier: the student athletes on her team who supported her through the whole process.

The girls on Sachem East's volleyball team wanted to create a fundraiser in honor of Schmohl, and recently organized a walk for Islip Breast Cancer Coalition.

"They asked me who would I personally donate to," Schmohl told Patch. "And I know how much [Islip Breast Cancer Coalition] does and what they did for me. The money goes to real people on Long Island who need it."

When Schmohl was diagnosed with breast cancer in June 2020 she found the coalition. Now, she's feeling a lot better and is back to work coaching the volleyball team.

"I don't think you're ever really done," battling cancer, she said. "I'm trying to be proactive. Coming back to coaching was the only thing that felt normal," after a six month leave from teaching.

When Schmohl returned to Sachem East, the volleyball team welcomed her with balloons. On her last treatment day the girls wore pink shirts, and when she was home sick, they organized meal trains to support her.

The team raised $1,3000 at the walk and Schmohl said she's looking forward to more fundraising in the future with the team.

"It was really, really special to me. I've known many of them for years and we are a close-knit group."