Number of Participants: 20
Hours Donated: 2
Value of Time Served: $338
Event Type: Children & Youth
Sport: Girls Soccer
School: Wheatland-Chili High School
Date: September 1, 2021
Location:
Wheatland Chili High School
North Road, Scottsville
NY
About:
The tournament is a memorial tournament for a Wheatland-Chili student who passed away in her junior year. Attached you will find a document explaining the story of Megan. 3 other teams are invited to participate in the tournament each year.
Since Megan’s favorite color was orange, our team wears uniforms designed by one of our players that incorporates the color orange. I will also attach this year’s logo designed by sophomore captain Hannalee Hotaling.
Each year the upper class players teach the story of Megan to the new players. There is discussion by the players and coaches of Megan’s unique character and friendly, accepting personality. There is a tree planted on campus where Megan was last seen alive by her younger sister, who also played soccer. Before each game in the tournament, the Wheatland-Chili team gathers around the tree to remember Megan, and each player takes a leaf from the tree and places it in their sock for the game so Megan plays once again through them. These traditions have been carried on for years and years. The remembrance and continuation of stories and traditions is a large part of the Wheatland- Chili Girls Soccer culture.
Mrs. Carl and Megan’s sister Chelsea present the tournament trophies and awards at the conclusion of the championship game and our team takes a picture with them. This year the team was gifted a handmade “bench quilt” from Mrs. Carl in thanks for keeping the memory and spirit of Megan alive and in their game.
I am only in my first year as a head coach, and I have been an assistant for many years, but the Megan Carl Memorial Tournament was originally the brainchild of former head coach Gary Ward. He was Megan’s Soccer and Basketball coach and also her history teacher when she passed away. He gave the eulogy at her funeral and created the original Megan Carl Annual Memorial Tournament.