Matthew Galligan 135 Spring Classic
Donation protected
This year marks the 6th annual 135 Spring Classic, a 3 vs. 3 basketball tournament that brings the Northborough/Southborough community together through a common love for basketball. Over the years the 135 courts have served as a home away from home, an escape from stress, with kids of all ages meeting up to come play pick up every day. Each year our tournament has grown, raising money for Coaching for Change, Inc. an inspiring organization that combines sports and the classroom to help under privileged youth graduate high school and go to college. However, this year means so much more than past years.
My name is Sam Piotrowski and this will be the fourth tournament that I organize. As mentioned, the 135 courts have served as a second home for me, and each tournament has brought me great pride and joy to watch players from different grades come together and join our community. However, I have not been able to plan successful tournaments without many other students who have stepped up and volunteered their time. The most instrumental of these students was my friend, Matt Galligan. Matt was my right hand man in planning all of these tournaments, doing just as much if not more in the planning process each year.
This year, I am without my right hand man. On November 22, 2017, Matt passed away at the age of 20 after a long battle with Glioblastoma Multiforme brain cancer. Matt was as kind as anyone I have ever known, a selfless individual with a hell of a jumpshot. During his battle, Matt adopted the phrase “No one fights alone” once writing “I’m fighting alongside with my dad and I wouldn’t want it any other way. He has already taught me so much about life and now we are going through this together which makes it a little easier.”
The 135 Community lost one of it’s own this past November. Though he is gone, we will never forget the impact he left on the 135 Community and every person he met. An organization called The Sister’s Wish helped Matt to fulfill one of his dreams, to visit the Nike Campus in Beaverton Oregon, traveling with his father and getting the full Nike experience. This year, 100% of the donations will be going to The Sister’s Wish, whose mission is to provide terminally ill or chronically ill young adults with a wish that will in someway improve their quality of life.
Matt left a positive mark on everyone he knew, and he helped to make this tournament better than I ever imagined it could be. He was there for so many so that they never had to fight life’s problems alone. And this year, our 135 family will be coming together to honor him, and raise money so that nobody has to fight alone. This one’s for you Matt.
My name is Sam Piotrowski and this will be the fourth tournament that I organize. As mentioned, the 135 courts have served as a second home for me, and each tournament has brought me great pride and joy to watch players from different grades come together and join our community. However, I have not been able to plan successful tournaments without many other students who have stepped up and volunteered their time. The most instrumental of these students was my friend, Matt Galligan. Matt was my right hand man in planning all of these tournaments, doing just as much if not more in the planning process each year.
This year, I am without my right hand man. On November 22, 2017, Matt passed away at the age of 20 after a long battle with Glioblastoma Multiforme brain cancer. Matt was as kind as anyone I have ever known, a selfless individual with a hell of a jumpshot. During his battle, Matt adopted the phrase “No one fights alone” once writing “I’m fighting alongside with my dad and I wouldn’t want it any other way. He has already taught me so much about life and now we are going through this together which makes it a little easier.”
The 135 Community lost one of it’s own this past November. Though he is gone, we will never forget the impact he left on the 135 Community and every person he met. An organization called The Sister’s Wish helped Matt to fulfill one of his dreams, to visit the Nike Campus in Beaverton Oregon, traveling with his father and getting the full Nike experience. This year, 100% of the donations will be going to The Sister’s Wish, whose mission is to provide terminally ill or chronically ill young adults with a wish that will in someway improve their quality of life.
Matt left a positive mark on everyone he knew, and he helped to make this tournament better than I ever imagined it could be. He was there for so many so that they never had to fight life’s problems alone. And this year, our 135 family will be coming together to honor him, and raise money so that nobody has to fight alone. This one’s for you Matt.
Organizer
Sam Piotrowski
Organizer
Northborough, MA
