On Monday, October 14th, 2019, the Ellington Recreation Department presented the third annual JRP 3v3 Soccer Tourney to benefit the Jacob Roger Poulin Foundation! It was a perfect day for our wonderful community to celebrate Jacob. And, for the first time in three years, it didn’t rain!

 

Jacob was an amazing athlete who, even at a young age, embodied the desire to compete along with the good sportsmanship that we yearn to see from the highest-level athletes. This demeanor was what we saw from all the players at our tourney, too! Each player displayed that same level of athleticism, passion and sportsmanship that we know Jacob would have demonstrated as well. Around noon, we had a short ceremony to share a little more about what the day was all about. A few moments into everyone gathering together, we had a heartwarming-interruption when hundreds of geese flew over the crowd, in multiple “Flying V” formations (Mighty Ducks movie reference). Many people felt that it was a sign that Jacob was with us.

 

With 37 teams and close to 150 players and their families gathered at Robert Tedford Memorial Field, the 2019 JRP 3v3 Soccer Tourney raised $10,667 that will go in its entirety towards building J4cob's Park! Please look below to see the 10 Field Sponsors, 20 Program Sponsors, and 4 Shout Out Sponsors, and to the local businesses and countless families that donated many refreshments and prizes for our Skills Competitions that we owe many thanks to! Another big thank you is owed to our wonderful volunteers, many of whom are Ellington High School Boys and Girls Soccer players or are folks that have volunteered at each of the three tourneys we’ve held. A very special thank you to the Town of Ellington through Dustin Huguenin and the Recreation Department, without whom this event would not have been possible.

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The most special of thank you's belongs to the Desrocher Family. In August of 2017, Nick, Cindy, and Jim Desrocher offered that they wanted to organize a 3v3 soccer tournament that would benefit the JRPF. The first two years were planned completely by the Desrochers and the late Bob Tedford. What an incredible, annual event they put together that we hope will continue for many years to come! We owe many thanks to the Desrocher Family as they help keep Jacob's name from being forgotten. ​