In August 2002, Carrie King and Troy Lyles passed away in a car accident. They were sixteen years old and Juniors at Lakewood High School. They were talented athletes, good students, and wonderful friends. It is in their honor that we play every April/May. Before they passed away, Carrie and Troy had began making plans for after high school. They had started imagining would be like, how to prep for the SATs, and getting ready to finally get away from Mom and Dad! When we started this tournament, it was to honor the memory of Carrie and Troy and help other high school students fulfill their dreams, even though Carrie and Troy were unable to do so themselves. 100% of the proceeds from this tournament go towards a scholarship fund for local high school students. To date, we've given $108,000 in scholarship money to deserving high school students.
Our goal is to create a tournament experience that is second to none. Volunteers take a weekend out of the schedules to care for the fields, sell concessions, keep score, and announce games. They make up nicknames, sing the 3rd inning stretch, and play trivia for prizes. Parents spend anniversaries and birthdays at the baseball field. You come from all over to play and help the memory of Carrie and Troy live on through others. Thank you, to all of you, for helping us make this tournament a success year after year.
This tournament has given us, their classmates, a chance to come together every year to celebrate our friends. In addition to helping so many graduating high school students, they've also been able to bring their friends and family together every year. That is, perhaps, the greatest gift they could've given us.
Carrie and Troy have touched the lives of hundreds and possibly thousands of people. They have helped interior designers, teachers, journalists, engineers, athletes, scientists, and so many more work towards achieving their dreams. They were extraordinary people. It is with a lot of love that this tournament is held every year. We hope you enjoy your weekend. We love watching you play.
Click here for more information about the tournament.