Page 12 - April 2017

The MSP MeMorial hockey ToUrnaMenT

By Trooper Sean Newman and Sarah Lefebvre

The 11th Annual MSP Memorial Hockey still being in full swing. After the tournament was
Tournament was held Friday, March 3, 2017 at the changed to March the enrollment rose from 80
Foxboro Sports Center. The games were followed by players back into the 120 range, an increase also
dinner, a scholarship award presentation and cash raffle credited in part to the graduation of two RTTs.
drawing, and an additional raffle at Waxy O’Connor’s in
Foxboro. The 11th Annual was a tremendous success: The idea for the Tournament came from Lt.
from the 148 Colonel Tom
hockey players Walsh in 2006
drawn from while he was
both sworn and the Division
civilian personel Commander of
who sweat it out Field Services.
on the ice, to He s t a r t e d
the $15,000 in brainstor ming
scholarships that w i t h o t h er
were awarded, Troopers who
it was the most played in Troop
rewarding event and recreational
this Charity has hockey leagues,
had to date! such as Chip
Coletta, Mike
Along with the Cr isp, Tom
scholarships Quin, Joe Mason,
awarded to Charlie Kane,
children of MSP John Fallon, John
members entering or attending college, the Memorial Rota, Kevin O’Neil and Paul Copponi. Bill Coulter was
Fund has been able to provide donations to MSP brought aboard for his expertise with charity events.
personnel and families in need due to death, injury or Chip Coletta handled the legal issues, worked on
sickness, as well as to various causes such as the Trooper obtaining the 501c3 charity designation and the finances;
Mark Charbonnier Memorial and Department-related Paul Copponi handled the rink and arranged for the
fundraisers, golf tournaments, and hockey tournaments. Tournament to be played at Iorio Arena in Walpole;
and John Rota, Charlie Kane, Bill Coulter and many
The Tournament began in October 2006 and others secured raffle prizes from businesses and vendors.
ran consecutively until a hiatus in 2014. The only
reason 2014 was skipped was to allow the tournament The first tournament was held in memory
to be played in the spring, as playing it in October of recently deceased MSP members Sgt. Kathleen
was tough on a lot of people due to the “busy season” Barrett, Trooper Vincent Cila and Trooper

F r en c h·a n d·E le c t r ic·B l ue·A p r i l·2017·p a g e·12