<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1tSkpd_1GqTAH1g00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1tSkpd_1GqTAH1g00" width="800" height="1200" ></figure>When Caleb Ross (12) initially had the idea for a powderpuff volleyball tournament, it was about giving boys a turn on the court. But along the way, it became something more. The event aimed to raise money for men’s mental health, an issue that became especially important to Ross two years ago when his friend and classmate Desta Burns died by suicide.Ross first began thinking of doing the tournament at the end of last year after talking with some of his friends and the girls volleyball players who’d wanted to make it happen for a while.“The girls get to play a powderpuff football game, so it’s only fair if the guys also get to do something like that,” Ross said.Over the summer, Ross spent time pitching the idea to athletic director Nikki Norris. It took four months of emailing Norris to get a meeting and hash out all the details, but about a month into the school year, it was finally approved.“She gave us the green light and told us which days we had the gym,” Ross said. “So I met with the student council to figure out what we were doing. Imade a sign-up sheet for everybody and released [it] for people to sign up.”Student Body Vice President Graham Tudor (12) also joined the project because it aligned with the direction that he and Ross, as student bodypresident, wanted to go in this school year.“We want to do things throughout the year to encourage involvement and school spirit,” Tudor said. “We know that people have been interested inhaving a male powderpuff event in the past and so this was a good way for us to advance that goal.”Members of the girls volleyball team also stepped up to coach the teams. Stella Dimaggio (12) was excited that powderpuff volleyball was finally happening and signed up right away.“We thought about doing it last year, but it never happened,” Dimaggio said. “Then I heard [in] September that the school was thinking about hosting it this year.”<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0MI3r3_1GqTAH1g00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0MI3r3_1GqTAH1g00" width="2001" height="1334" ><figcaption>Laughing during powderpuff volleyball practice on Oct. 28, Stella Dimaggio (12) helps coach the boy players. Dimaggio played on the varsity girls team and was excited for boys powderpuff to commence. (Photo by Willa Sears )</figcaption></figure>Student Congress organized two practices on Oct. 28 and Nov. 3 before the actual tournament on Nov. 6 and 7, where six teams of around five people each competed. Girl coaches mainly focused on teaching the boys basic volleyball skills, assuming their teamwork would develop on its own.Ross distributed sign up forms for players during excel, encouraging boys of all grades to make teams and give guys a turn at powderpuff. Forsome, including Carter Allen (12) and Emerson Groya (12), the cause was the real reason to sign up.“We’ve had a fair share of mental battles at the school, in our grade especially,” Groya said. “I think it’s something that’s really important and needs to be talked about more, and this is a great thing that’s happening to [help].”The tournament raised money for Movember, a global men’s mental health charity offering expert-backed resources, early intervention programs and research to support men and boys.“I lost one of my friends to suicide a long time ago, and I know other people have struggled too, but I feel like people don’t talk [about it],” Allen said.There was a participation fee of $10 along with a donation table outside of the tournament. They didn’t have an exact fundraising goal, according to organizers, but hoped to raise around $800 to $1,000.“I think just bringing awareness to the ISS is something we’ve always wanted to do, especially our class,” Ross said.Ross has already talked to a friend who plans to run for student body president next year about continuingthis event, and all those involved hope to make it an annual tradition.“We’re hoping that we can kind of lay the groundwork for this to be picked up by the successive student congress,” Tudor said.Because the paper was sent to the press before the final tournament, we were unable to report on the final results or total amount of money raised.</div></body>

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When Caleb Ross (12) initially had the idea for a powderpuff volleyball tournament, it was about giving boys a turn on the court. But along the way, it became something more. The event aimed to raise money for men’s mental health, an issue that became especially important to Ross two years ago when his friend and classmate Desta Burns died by suicide.

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When Caleb Ross (12) initially had the idea for a powderpuff volleyball tournament, it was about giving boys a turn on the court. But along the way, it bec

From sidelines to center court

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