Turco Still Holds Dig Yellow Game In Honor Of Olivia Brodt
Photo by Mackenzie Vetorino
The shirt the girls wear for Brodt
April 7, 2021
On a typical game day for Barnstable volleyball the gym is its usual bright red. The players wear their red jerseys to match the gym bleachers and banners. This year on April 8 , the gym will be decorated in bright yellow for BHSVB’s fifth annual Dig Yellow game. There will be yellow streamers, yellow posters, and varsity neon yellow jerseys to match their neon yellow laces. The game plans to be against Sandwich High.
Dig Yellow is a volleyball game to honor Olivia Brodt, who is a former BHSVB player and student at BHS. She passed away four years ago from a type of pediatric cancer at only 20 years old. Brodt was diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma. This type of cancer doesn’t attack one specific part of the body, it can attack anywhere. For Brodt, it attacked her sinuses first, then moved to her spinal fluid, eventually getting to her brain. Even though most volleyball players didn’t meet her before she passed, they still honor her for the impact she left on everyone.
“She inspired me as an artist because she did a self portrait before she was diagnosed with cancer that showed her journey through cancer and in a way she knew that in the future she would be diagnosed,” said her father Craig Brodt.
For the Dig Yellow game, the volleyball team wears as much yellow as possible to support and raise awareness for pediatric cancer. The varsity team wears special yellow jerseys for this one game, but wears yellow shoelaces for the whole season to be reminded of Oliva’s spirit. Last year the players in the entire program were given yellow Olivia Strong t-shirts to further honor Brodt at practice.
“Olivia has impacted my volleyball career because everything we do honors her,” said JV volleyball captain Elisabeth Baird
Brodt played volleyball from the time she was in elementary school until she was a freshman in college. She was on the varsity volleyball team from 10th to 12th grade, her senior year being a captain. She was also a top student and well rounded athlete. But volleyball wasn’t the only sport she did. Brodt also did modern dance. She was always focused and a role model to her peers and younger athletes.
“While she was on the team they won two state championships in 2012 and 2013”, said her high school coach, Tom Turco.
After Brodt graduated from Barnstable High school she attended Babson College. In college she continued the sports she had played in high school. Her freshman year at Babson, Brodt played volleyball and continued dance as well. Soon after, she got sick, and had to stop for a while. Her sophomore year, she tried picking up her passion for volleyball once again.
“She felt better and well enough to try and play again, ” said Turco.
In addition to being an athlete, Brodt is remembered for her artistic abilities. She had lots of connections with people all over the Cape. “She was an overall great person. She was a very kind, caring, and positive person, ” Brodt’s father said “Even though she is no longer here physically, she is still in everyone’s prayers and in forever in their hearts,”