Ryder Ewing was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumor more than 21 years ago. She was just 18 months old and endured rounds of adult chemotherapy to combat the cancer. It took ten long years, and she is still dealing with the effects of the treatment today.
"On one hand, I don't remember much of the pain I went through as a child," Ryder said about her experience. "As I have gotten older, I am still dealing with issues that are due to that pain. I am old enough now to realize childhood cancer is not limited to childhood; those who survive spend their adult years mastering the side effects left behind."
Today, Ryder is an impressive young woman who wants to use her life story to raise awareness and money for childhood cancer. She graduated from Clemson University in May with a Master's Degree and wants to pursue a career in Sports Marketing. Last weekend, she was the guest of honor at a lacrosse tournament that bears her name: The Rally 4 Ryder 6v6 Tournament. 26 girls teams from all over the Metro—ranging in ages from 3rd grade to 12th—descended on the Frank Fillman Stadium at Lassiter to compete, have fun, and support childhood cancer research.
The event was started in 2007 by Ryder's Mom, Jonna. She was determined to start a fundraiser for Ryder and to spread awareness about childhood cancer. It began as the Carve out Cancer Fun Run & Festival, and over the years, morphed into The Rally in the Valley Lacrosse tournament. This year's tournament was the first since 2019, and it picked up the tradition right where it left off. If last Saturday was any indication, Rally 4 Ryder will be around for many more years to come.
Lacrosse runs in the blood of the Ewing family. Ryder's older sister, Riley, won a state title with Walton in 2016 and played collegiately at Ohio State. Riley is now an assistant coach at George Mason University in Virginia and was recently named to Team USA's inaugural box lacrosse team. Combining the family's love of lacrosse with their passion for finding a cure for childhood cancer was a natural fit.
"I'm really proud that this started in my community," Ryder said as she looked out over the hundreds of players, parents, and fans who braved the weather to take in a day of youth lacrosse. "I absolutely care about this and what it all means, and I'm so glad to see it come back. I would love to see it continue to grow."
Lassiter's head coach, Angela Brunner, and Walton's head coach, Joanna Kay, confirmed that plans are already in the works to make Ryder's wish come true. "We couldn't be more excited about the turnout today, but we're already looking forward to next year. It will be bigger and better," said Coach Kay confidently.
"Lacrosse is still one of the smaller sports in Georgia, but it is growing quickly around the Atlanta area," Coach Brunner added. "We had amazing support from our volunteers and families in the lacrosse community to make this event a reality, and we can't wait for the next one!"
One of those volunteers was Cobb's Assistant Superintendent of Compliance and Legal Affairs, Gretchen Walton. In between managing scoring sheets, registrations, and other tournament administration needs, she expressed her gratitude that the Rally was back after a four-year hiatus.
"Girls participation in sports really dropped during the pandemic," she explained. "This event not only raises awareness for childhood cancer but also for girls' athletics overall. Sports are such an important component of the education experience, and events like this help to highlight and exemplify that to girls of all ages. I am so encouraged by what I am seeing and hearing today. It's a big deal for so many different reasons!"
