Deanna Rivers Memorial Tournament to raise money, keep Deanna’s spirit alive

CLIFTON PARK, N.Y. (NEWS10) — In 2012, Deanna Rivers and her classmate Chris Stewart were tragically killed in a car crash. A couple months later, the Deanna Rivers 518 Memorial Softball Tournament was founded, and it has helped keep Deanna’s spirit alive ever since.

That will continue on Sunday June 11th with the 9th annual Deanna Rivers 518 Memorial Tournament. It’s a day that allows high school senior softball players to hit the diamond with each other for one last hoorah. The tournament also raises money for the Deanna Marie Rivers Foundation. The money will be donated to area organizations, with a focus on athletics and education, two things Deanna loved the most.

Any high school senior softball player is encouraged to sign up here. More players are needed to make this special day happen. You can sign up through May 23rd.

“This day is really centered around Deanna and her spirit and how she played the game,” says Deanna’s mom, Debbie Rivers. “It’s a fun day. It’s not competitive, it’s to bring girls together that might be on different teams but now are on the same team, and to play together.”

Emily Carroll, a Shenendehowa graduate from the Class of 2020, is a former participant in the tournament. She encourages all softball seniors to sign up. “Just coming out here and supporting the foundation and playing for Deanna,” says Carroll. “Just being able to play with people you played against for years and coming together to have that last hoorah before going off to college.”

“To honor Deanna’s legacy, she didn’t get to continue her collegiate career,” added Carroll. “So for the girls who do have the opportunity to do that just to honor her on that day, it really means a lot.”