Manteca girls soccer tackles cancer in the community
The Manteca High girls soccer team, with the help of the school’s Leadership students, placed donation boxes in the classrooms on campus. This year, Kicking for a Cure girls soccer game raised more than $10,000 for a local youth diagnosed with ovarian cancer.
By TEGPREET SINGH
The Tower
Manteca High’s annual Kicking for a Cure soccer game raised more than $10,000 for a local youth battling cancer.
Led by history teacher and girls soccer coach Justin Coenenberg since its inception, Kicking for a Cure has raised money, awareness and support for children in need; children with acute medical conditions; and families faced with steep medical costs.
With this year’s contribution, Kicking for a Cure has raised more than $140,000 in 12 years. This year’s recipient was Shannon Perez, a 13-year-old diagnosed with ovarian cancer.
Perez is an eighth grader at Neil Hafley. She’s described as a natural leader on her campus and in the community. When she isn’t out and about, she enjoys playing video games, especially Fortnite, and owns two pets: a dog and beta fish. She loves to cook lumpia, and when she grows up, she wants to be a chef.
That dream was shaken by sharp stomach pain in the fall.
On August 10, 2022, Perez’s parents decided to take her to the emergency room. They then received news that Perez’s had a large tumor leaking into her ovaries, causing stomach pain. Her parents were devastated but they never left Perez’s side. She was then transferred to Kaiser Permanente Hospital in Roseville, where she had the tumor removal surgery. Perez has since then gone through three cycles of chemotherapy.
Her most recent blood test showed she is cancer free.
The Manteca High girls soccer team raised more than $10,000 for Shannon Perez (center) and her family. Perez was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. (Photo contributed)
“After speaking with her mom about the type of person Shannon is and what she went through, it just seemed like the perfect fit,” Coenenberg said.
The top sponsors and biggest contributions came from Coenenberg Family Law, Synergy Behavior Consultants and the family of Ray and Sherry Azevedo. The event featured donations, sponsors, and a silent auction during the game.
Coenenberg began Kicking for a Cure in 201, because he wanted to give back to his community and help those in need. He also wanted to teach his soccer players the importance of philanthropy.
“I wanted to teach my team lessons outside of soccer,” he said. “I wanted them to learn about the importance of community and giving back.”
Kicking for a Cure
Here’s a list of the people and organization the Manteca High girls soccer team has helped over the years:
2011: $3,275, American Cancer Society
2012: $4,191.30, American Cancer Society
2013: $7,054, Riley Simmons Fund
2014: $11,126, Noah Valdez
2015: $14,407.08, Destiny Herrera
2016: $8,143, Isaac Flores
2017: $8,256, Amiyah Lopez
2018: $16,359.39, Emma Lockwood
2019: $28,518.61, Amy Gross
2020: $15,200.72, Miles Lima
2022: $16,242.28, Mason Ferrulli