WHS’s field hockey team remembered Jim Griffin by playing a benefit game to raise money for the Jim Griffin Family Support Trust. During the game, the players wore special white and purple jerseys with the letters “JG” to commemorate Griffin.

Most sports teams at Wayland High School are required to participate in a community service activity, whether that means volunteering or playing a benefit game. Many of the Warrior teams have already fulfilled this requirement: Boys soccer played in the Kicks for Cancer games, raising money for cancer research. In addition, girls soccer hosted a Kids to Kids game during which they raised funds for the charity program.The girls volleyball team volunteered at a tournament at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School on October 20 to support the Lauren Dunne Astley Memorial Foundation.

This year, on October 20, the field hockey team played a benefit game against Westford Academy to raise money for the Jim Griffin Family Support Trust.

Griffin, a former guidance counselor at Wayland High School, passed away in January after a battle with pancreatic cancer. It was around this time last year that he announced he was sick and leaving school.

“The beginning of the year was sad because it brought back all the memories from when he told us he was sick,” Ann Fratto, secretary in the guidance department, said. “You do think of him in quiet times, and his birthday just went by. It is still very sad when we think of him.”

Griffin had a close relationship with many members of last year’s field hockey team. He even came to one of the team’s tournament games after he had been diagnosed with cancer.

The team wore a unique uniform, sporting special tank tops created specifically for this game. The shirts were white with purple letters, purple being the color of pancreatic cancer awareness. The uniforms also featured the letters “JG” on the shoulder in remembrance of Griffin.

Although the Warriors lost 1-0, the game was scoreless until Westford scored a goal past junior goalie Maddie Kiefer, midway through the second half.

“It was a tough loss, but we will get them next year,” Kiefer said.