Women’s soccer to host live auction

CHRISTOPHER BLAKE STAFF WRITER CRB724@CABRINI EDU

The Cabrini College women’s soccer team will be sponsoring a live auction on Friday, Feb. 15 in Grace Hall. All fundraising efforts will assist in financing the team’s upcoming trip to Brazil in August 2008.

The auction will be presented by AJ Ross Auctions of Holbrook, N.Y. and will feature fine arts, sports memorabilia, music memorabilia and more.

A preview of the pieces will be from 7 to 8 p.m. while the auction will begin at 8 p.m. Admission is $10 per person or $15 per couple. Guests will be offered a wide variety of wine, cheese, coffee and cake.

All artwork is custom framed and matted as sponsors of the team will have opening bids of up to 50 percent less money than traditional gallery prices.

The auction will feature work from such artists as Picasso, Rockwell and Warhol.

Also, Eagles, Philies, Flyers and 76ers memorabilia will be auctioned among other products.

“For a soccer player going to Brazil is the chance of a lifetime,” assistant coach Jess Huda said.

The team plans on traveling to Brazil from Aug. 5-13, where they will be able to train in the “soccer capital of the world.”

“They will match us up against club players in Brazil and hopefully we can play against a totally different level of soccer,” Huda said. “The cost of the trip is over $2,000 per player, but the long awaited investment is worthwhile for this team.”

“This is our first trip besides a weekend trip to North Carolina. Coach (Ken Prothero) and the current juniors have been talking about making a trip for three years and we are finally making it happen,” captain Nikki Duggan, a junior English and communication major, said.

Cabrini has lost to the eventual Pennsylvania Athletic Conference champions, Eastern University, in the semi-finals each of the past two seasons. But hopes for next season are high.

“I think next year is looking very promising. With all our players returning but one and the coming and leaving of teams there is no reason we should not be playing for a championships next season,” Huda said.

The idea of the auction came from one of the players’ parents whom had been involved in a similar event for a high school.

“As a whole we would love to raise enough money for the entire trip but it will depend on how many people come and what they buy,” Huda said.

The team hopes to have at least 100 bodies in the building so they will earn 20 percent of the art profits.

“Even if you just come and not buy anything we get 100 percent of the proceeds of ticket sales,” Huda said.

During the season the team sold raffles and ran concessions during games. Team apparel was sold online through Kelly

Sports and this upcoming April the team plans on holding a calendar fundraiser in which people will be able to win money prizes everyday that month.

“We are expecting a large number of people already and we are crossing our fingers a lot of people show up at the doors,” Huda said.

At the auction the team will do everything from ticket sales, assisting in the art display and handling refreshments.

With all the efforts toward fundraising the team is ready to prepare for Brazil and then for training camp prior to the 2008 season.

“Not only will the girls be able to work on their games but they will be able to see a new culture and work some community service running soccer clinics for disadvantaged children in a local village,” Huda said.

“Our goal is to go there and learn more about soccer than competing in hopes that it will prepare us more for next season,” Huda said.