Kevin Toland Memorial Basketball Tournament Manassas Park High School

Mr.Kevin Toland Mr.Kevin Toland began his first year at Manassas Park High School in the fall of 2014 His formal position was as a teacher assistant but he was more than that He performed other duties in the school including being a student outreach coach, mentor and self-declared hallway monitor Everyday, he would patrol the hallways, picking up anyone who was going to be late to class and escorting them He would also pick up repeat offenders from their classrooms and make sure they made it to their next class on time on what he called the “Toland Train” It was also his first year as the men’s varsity basketball coach

His Impact On Students Mr Toland was special to so many because he was the go to teacher for life You would always spot him during lunches sitting with students and talking about anything with them He loved bowties and inspired “bowtie friday” at our school He would always greet everyone, stranger or friend, with a warm smile and a firm handshake He found time to be with students who needed someone to listen to them and would always offer advice on whatever they were facing

The Day That Changed Us All 3 months into the school year, Mr. Toland was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer He took some time off to undergo treatment and came back one day for a surprise visit Due to his illness and treatment, he was bound to a wheelchair and he had aged quite a bit Students could still feel the warmth in his smile, the light in his eyes and the strength of his handshake About a month after his visit, we were informed that Mr Toland had passed away in the hospital surrounded by his family A gloom fell over the school as we mourned the death of our beloved teacher

The Legacy That He Left Behind To show support for our beloved Mr Toland, we organized a basketball tournament and candlelight vigil All proceeds from the tournament went to the National Pancreatic Cancer Foundation We also got in contact with various alumni who had been touched by Mr Toland to participate The candlelight vigil was held inside the school where students were able to share their experiences with Mr Toland Students then filled the gym wearing purple, Mr Toland’s favorite color, to compete against each other Teams of students from each class including teachers and alumni were able to play against each other It was a great night, and we had raised nearly $1500 to be donated A few weeks later, we received a letter from the National Pancreatic Cancer Foundation in which they thanked us for our contribution

The Kevin Toland Memorial Basketball Tournament This school year, we will be hosting our 2nd Toland Tournament To increase attendance and funds raised, we will be advertising to students and staffs continuously before the event. We will also be including people in and outside of our community who are victims or loved ones in the tournament We plan on reaching a donation goal of $1800 to the National Pancreatic Cancer Foundation that will be used to impact the lives of many more.

Suggestions for Implementation Sports tournaments can be very valuable tools for contributing to organizations, no matter the sport or organization Tournaments, such as our Toland Tournament, are a great way to bring the community together as well as fundraise for a great cause Making the tournament unique to your school will help it gain popularity and become a memorable one Be sure to start advertising for the event as soon as possible especially because teams must sign up beforehand Also try to reach out to the organization you’re school is fundraising for even if it seems way out of your league, they may be interested in promoting your event.