It was fun seeing Pittsburgh Steeler Troy Polamalu, one of the toughest defensive players in the NFL also known for his long, thick, curly hair, wearing Breast Cancer pink gloves and cleats on Sunday.

Turns out the Steelers weren’t alone.

For the second consecutive year, NFL players were wearing pink to commemorate Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Pink ribbons were spotted in the middle of the fields along with NFL logos and on goal posts.

Assuming you watched an NFL game on Sunday, you may have seen game balls with pink ribbon decals; players wearing pink wristbands, chin straps, sideline caps, helmet decals, eye shield decals, captains’ patches, sideline towels and quarterback towels; pink coins used for the coin toss; pink sideline caps for coaches and sideline personnel; and pink ribbon pins for coaches and team executives.

Officials wore caps with pink ribbons, pink wristbands and pins, and used pink whistles.

The NFL’s program to highlight Breast Cancer Awareness Month is called “A Crucial Catch: Annual Screening Saves Lives.” It reminds women 40 and older about the importance of having an annual mammogram.

Locally, Southampton Academy’s girls volleyball team has also joined the campaign. In an effort to raise awareness and money for the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation, the team will host its inaugural “Dig for the Cure” campaign this month.

The Lady Raiders will be collecting donations while playing in specially designed pink jerseys throughout October.

The “Dig for the Cure” campaign was started in 2003 by Charlotte Head Coach Lisa Marston, whose mother was a breast cancer survivor, and has spread to volleyball programs across the country in recent years.

It’s great to see all this support for a worthy cause — on a local and national level.

If interested in making a donation to Southampton Academy’s effort, or for more information about the event, call Volleyball Coach Terry Bell at 653-2512 or e-mail her at tbell@southampton academy.org.