Pat Moody 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament showcases skills during Summerfest

By Matt Pascarella

Multiple teams and dozens of kids showcased talent and made friends during Windham Summerfest’s Pat Moody 3-on-3 basketball tournament.

Two-year consecutive fourth- through sixth-grade winners
OG XLP with sixth graders Oliver Baylin, left, Elijah
Aggrey and Elliott Mann hold their trophy after winning 
their bracket in the Pat Moody 3-on-3 basketball
tournament during Windham's Summerfest at 
Windham High School on Saturday, June 20.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA

This was the fourth year the 3-on-3 tournament has been held, but the second tournament since it was renamed in honor of the late and great Pat Moody, who believed basketball was vital to the town. This tournament was 100 percent free for all participants and was played at Windham High School on Saturday, June 20.

“We’re just all about the community and I think that represented Pat really well,” said Windham Summerfest Committee member and Pat Moody 3-on-3 organizer Jacob Chouinard. “This year, we had a bigger than expected turnout, as word got out ... the turnout was huge ... and almost as big as last year. We had 15 teams – 66 kids, participation medals and trophies for the winners, plus a free t-shirt for all participants.”

Chouinard grew up in Windham and played basketball for Windham High School. He started with the Summerfest committee as part of his senior capstone project. He was asked by Deb and Tommy Matthews what he thought could make Summerfest bigger and better. Chouinard pitched the idea of a 3-on-3 basketball tournament and both of them loved that idea. Chouinard took the reigns from there and with the help of his friends and family has been running it ever since.

The day after Pat Moody passed away, the Summerfest committee knew they wanted to do something to commemorate him. They knew the most direct connection was through basketball and thought naming the 3-on-3 basketball tournament after him was unbelievably fitting. The fact that they’re giving kids the chance to play for free, was something they believed Moody would love.

“Everyone coming together is the goal of it,” said Chouinard. “All on a volunteer basis and it’s really rewarding; you get the reward from it. Windham is a fast-growing community, I think it’s important for people to sign up to stay close-knit, stay in-touch with one another. Get out, meet people, shake hands, you saw dads and moms meeting each other today (as their kids played).”

The tournament started at Windham Middle School but has been growing so it’s now been moved to the high school.

Windham eighth grader Steven ‘SJ’ DePaolo III says the tournament is a lot of fun with great competition and it’s fun for him to play with his friends, fun to win games and it is just a great time. He said he’ll definitely be back next year to play in the tournament again.

“I like the fun of it and hanging out with my friends ... and respecting Pat Moody,” said Falmouth sixth grader Oliver Baylin. “I like playing with the kids. I like this tournament a lot because everyone is representing Pat Moody. I will totally be back next year.”

While it may be a bit early, Chouinard and many others are already looking forward to next year’s SummerFest Pat Moody 3-on-3 basketball tournament. <