The Northborough pickleball courts were full on May 13 for the first annual Jacob Rogers Memorial Pickleball Tournament. Over 100 people attended and 48 players from 12 area towns competed to support youth mental health. The tournament raised over $15,000 and will benefit the Shine Initiative of Worcester.
The tournament was a collaboration of nine pickleball players from area towns and Be Well Northborough. It was held in honor of Jacob (Jake) Rogers of Shrewsbury, who died by suicide in March 2022 after struggling with mental illness. The goal of the tournament was to draw attention to the struggles many youth in our towns face. Jake was a 2020 graduate of Shrewsbury High School and is remembered for his silly laugh, the twinkle in his eye, his big appetite, and his deep love for animals.
His family has turned its grief of his loss into a drive to educate the younger population that it is ok to talk about their mental health struggles and that they are not alone.
The Shine Initiative works with schools and communities to help destigmatize mental health. It strives to create an environment where mental health is on equal footing with physical health.
Contributions can continue to be made to support this effort.
Twenty-seven area companies generously sponsored the tournament including court sponsors: Clear Path for Veterans of New England, Michelle Gillespie Realtor, and Avidia Bank & Avidia Investment Services. Additionally, over forty area businesses donated merchandise for baskets raffled during the event raising $1,500 alone.
Tournament winners
Beginner to Intermediate:
Gold – Daniel Leroy/Doug Tucker
Silver – Christina Macaulay/Holt Murray
Bronze – Emily Brablc/Linda Capello
Intermediate to Advanced:
Gold – Joseph Calo/Christian Powers
Silver – Vladimir Giterman/Michael Nguyen
Bronze – Charles Arnold/Brian Duval
The Tournament Committee included the following individuals from Northborough, Westborough, Shrewsbury, and Milford: Ann Marie Rogers, Suzanne Cox, Mary Ellen Clark, Janet Johnson, Jenny Jelliffe, Mina Baum, Linda Harrington, Marilyn Govoni, and Judy Karlin.
Be Well Northborough is a collaborative health and wellness initiative aimed at helping the community recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. The mission of Be Well Northborough is to develop new programming and resources, as well as raise awareness of existing resources that address issues such as social isolation, mental health, substance use, and overall wellness.
Photo credit: Jeanine Vitale of Prism Point Photography.
Beginner to Intermediate winners: Doug Tucker/Daniel LeRoy 
Intermediate to Advanced winners: Joseph Calo and Christian Powers 
Jacob Rogers Memorial Pickleball Tournament.
