On November 9 , 2009,, 21 year-old Ryan Diviney, a Broad Run graduate, was put in a coma after being beaten and repeatedly kicked in the head causing trauma to his brain; leaving

Diviney needing around-the-clock medical care.
Diviney was a regular teen; he played sports for the Broad Run Spartans and was a member of the Ashburn community.

As Diviney’s story continues to play out, many area residents were touched by his story which lead to the Battle for a Better Cause football game between Briar Woods and cross-town rival Broad Run. To help his family with constant medical costs, the game was billed as a way to donate money through t-shirt purchases and outright donations.

About 6,000 people packed the stands at Briar Woods High School for the September 2nd game. The game was dubbed a “white-out” with both sides donning white t-shirts with “Battle for a Better Cause” logo.

“I know the game is going to be good, I do have a niece that goes here but I came to support the boy named Ryan,” Adina Smith explains.
New to Virginia, Kayla Ashline was also excited for the football game and for the reason behind it. “This game is huge, back in New York a huge football high school game reached up to only 120 people, Ryan deserves this,” Kayla explains.

Broad Run High School Maica Gomez, a junior, talked about how she wishes both teams the best and she hopes that they realize it’s not about their win they take home this time, or the television crew.

Though the score ended up being 14-0 with Broad Run in the lead, the fight wasn’t for the players it was for Ryan.

As the crowd filled up the Briar Woods stadium the people poured down with white outfits, cheers, and chants. Battle for a Better Cause was a fight for something bigger than us, something that can prevent or even cure the people that are in the same situation.

“Ryan Diviney! Ryan Diviney! Ryan Diviney,” as the crowd chanted, they gave the word hope a whole new meaning.