Instead of going green, a group of area high school girls volleyball teams will be thinking pink as they “Volley for the Cure” this fall.

Nearly 200 Illinois High School Association member schools have or will participate in the program, which raises breast cancer awareness and funds for the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation. The IHSA was inspired by the “Volley for the Cure” initiative that originated in Ohio last year.

“I’ve been looking for some kind of promotional program to implement in girls volleyball,” said Sue Hinrichsen, Illinois High School Association executive director of girls volleyball. “This has all the educational aspects we’ve been looking for. We are able to educate young people about the seriousness of breast cancer. This allows young kids to give back to the community and it also allowed the community to come together for a cause.”

On the day that the schools’ host this special event, both teams competing in the match, along with the referees, will wear pink jerseys while a pink volleyball will be used during play. Pink T-shirts will be sold to students, faculty, families and friends as spectators are urged to support the cause. Breast cancer survivors are also encouraged to attend the festivities.

“It is a great cause and October is (National) Breast Cancer Awareness Month,” said Immaculate Conception’s Jean Field, who has been coaching at the high school in Elmhurst for over 30 years.

“ It has touched everybody’s life.”

 Many schools also will be holding raffles, auctions, split-the-pot and bake sales to raise additional funds.

To help get the word out, players will be making posters and banners to hang around school while the IHSA has set aside space on its Web site (ihsa.org) for various information about the program, including dates and places for the event and a photo album.

Many schools will also be making announcements throughout the respective days of the event to provide students with facts about breast cancer.

“I think it is really important that we educate the girls about bigger things in life they might confront,” said Montini coach Sara Lhotka. “This helps make them aware of things and at the same time, they can be a part of something where they are contributing to society.”

The Suburban Catholic Conference as a whole has gotten involved with the event with each of the eight schools hosting a date.

St. Francis will have a band playing only songs that reference “pink” at its match while students at the different schools will be allowed to have a dress-down day if they wear something pink.

“They picked this because it is such a great women’s cause,” said St. Francis coach Peg Kopec.