I’m pretty sure that if you’ve ever seen the Florida Gators softball team play you’ve noticed the sunflowers they wear in their hair. If like me you were curious why here’s the story behind it.

The short answer is it’s in tribute to Heather Braswell. In the year 2009 Heather became an honorary Florida Gator after getting to met the team through the organization Friends of Jacklyn, a non-profit organization that work to improve the quality of life for children battling brain tumors and other cancers.

When Heather first met the team there was an instant special connection felt by everyone. Before her death in 2014 Heather spent lots of time in the Florida dugout cheering on her favorite team. She has a personal locker in the Gator’s locker room, had her initials etched on to the field, and got to throw out the opening pitch at a game just a few weeks before her death.

In tribute to Heather the team has worn those yellow sunflowers in their hair to help raise awareness for children’s cancer.

So next time you see those very familiar sunflowers in the Florida Gator’s hair you’ll know the touching story behind why they wear them.