A Kennesaw State volleyball tradition unlike any other, the Owls' Sept. 4 contest against West Georgia in VyStar Arena will also be the 11th annual Griffin's Game. This year, Griffin's Game will honor Aliz Torres, a 13-year old girl from Woodstock, Ga.
You can donate or purchase a Griffin's Game T-Shirt at the link above. T-Shirts will also be sold at the match on Sept. 4, and there will be frequent chances to show support during the game.
Griffin's Game, A Brief History
Named in honor of Head Coach Keith Schunzel and volunteer assistant Briana Schunzel's son, Griffin, who was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia on March 25, 2015.
During Griffin's treatment, the Schunzels received an overwhelming amount of support from family, friends and the Kennesaw State community. They, along with the volleyball program and the KSU athletic department, wanted to be able to give that same level of support to a local family dealing with the same struggle.
“As we enter our 11th year of hosting Griffin’s Game, we are incredibly proud of the support we’ve been able to provide to families throughout the years and so grateful for the thousands of people who have helped make this event possible. This is a deeply personal game for myself, Briana and our family, and we are honored to continue giving back to other families after experiencing firsthand the incredible love and support that surrounded us during our own journey,” said Keith Schunzel.
“This year, we are honored to rally around Aliz and her family as she bravely battles childhood cancer. We hope our community will once again open its hearts, minds and wallets to surround Aliz and her family with the same love, strength and support that has made Griffin’s Game so special for the past 11 years. We want them to know they are not alone in this fight, and that an entire community is standing behind them.”
For 10 years now the KSU volleyball team has chosen a local family to honor and support in order to help with their expenses in their fight against childhood cancer. With donations rising each year, the Schunzels and the KSU volleyball program have been able to raise almost $130,000 for local families in need.
Meet Aliz Torres
An eighth-grader with a contagious smile, deep faith, and a love for volleyball, Aliz has spent the past several years doing what she loves most—competing with her teammates on the Junior Knights River Ridge volleyball team. She also loves music, playing electric guitar, and listening to artists like Tyler, the Creator, Malcolm Todd, The Marías, Frank Sinatra, Leslie Gore, and Deftones. To everyone who knows her, Aliz is compassionate, resilient, and wise beyond her years.
No one could have imagined her battle with leukemia had already begun.
During a Valentine's Day weekend volleyball tournament, Aliz took a hard fall on the court. The bruise that followed became unusually dark and continued to worsen. Soon she was constantly tired. Her gums began bleeding, which her family initially thought was related to her wisdom teeth coming in. Then she lost her appetite, began losing weight, and developed painful sores in her mouth, including one that turned alarmingly dark.
Concerned, her family took her to the doctor for blood work. Two days later, everything changed when they received the call no family ever wants.
Doctors instructed them to go immediately to Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. Aliz's blood counts were dangerously low, and she needed an emergency blood transfusion. Later that day, she was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), a high-risk form of leukemia.
Life instantly shifted from school, volleyball practices, and family routines to hospital rooms, chemotherapy, and countless unknowns. Her first round of chemotherapy brought high fevers, exhaustion, and unimaginable physical challenges. Yet through it all, she continued to smile. Even on her hardest days, her family says her unwavering faith and positive spirit inspired everyone around her.
In July, Aliz underwent a bone marrow transplant after her three-year-old brother was found to be a perfect donor match. Despite his young age, he bravely underwent the procedures needed to help save his sister's life. For their family of six, this journey has touched every member in profound ways.
The weeks leading up to the transplant were especially difficult. Because of the high risk of infection, Aliz had to remain in strict isolation, separated from much of the outside world. Recently, the family was able to move into the Ronald McDonald House, providing a much-needed sense of comfort and stability during this stage of treatment.
Both of Aliz's parents stepped away from work during the critical month surrounding her transplant so they could be by her side every step of the way.
We're asking the Kennesaw State community to do what it does best—to rally around one of our own.
Every donation, prayer, message of encouragement, and act of kindness reminds Aliz and her family they are not fighting this battle alone.
Aliz has already shown incredible courage, resilience, and faith through the most difficult season of her young life. Now it's our turn to stand beside her.
Please consider supporting Aliz and her family as they continue this journey. Together, we can help ease the financial burden so they can focus on what matters most: helping Aliz heal.
Thank you for being part of Team Aliz.
