“It’s more than just a hockey game to us,” said Holderness Boys Varsity Hockey Co-Captain Kaden Freelove ’24 when speaking about the Sarah Duval Memorial Game. 

After raising $6,000 in memory of Sarah Duval, the sister of varsity hockey player Jacob Duval ’25, last year, the boys hockey team didn’t think twice about organizing the event again: “It was a great cause, and it went so well last year that we just wanted to support him and his whole family,” said Kaden. During a team-building exercise last year, Jacob shared that his sister had passed away in February of 2021 due to complications from leukemia. Inspired by Jacob’s words, the team was motivated to dedicate a game to Sarah. 

This year, the event expanded with both the Boys and Girls Varsity Hockey teams raising money for the Sarah Duval Memorial Fund. “It gives the game more meaning. She could have been a member of our team,” said Girls Varsity Hockey Captain Marissa Lafferty. “We want to honor Sarah and her memory when we’re on the ice.” The memorial fund awards scholarships to high school seniors who aspire to work in the fields of health and human services. The fund also awards scholarships to families whose children play hockey and soccer, but need financial help to do so. In the week leading up to the games, students ran a bake sale, organized a 50/50 raffle, and sold shirts and hats.

With the stands packed full of students, teachers, and parents all sporting t-shirts emblazoned with the words ‘Sarah Strong’ and the players donning orange ribbons on their uniforms, it was an exciting weekend of hockey on the Holderness campus. Boys Varsity Hockey defeated Governor’s Academy 6-2 with Jacob netting a goal in the second period. Girls Varsity Hockey won an exciting back-and-forth game over Hoosac School 6-4. However, more important than the numbers on the scoreboard was the number of students who came together to raise money throughout the week. All together, 73 students helped to raise over $10,000 for the Sarah Duval Memorial Fund.

Reflecting on the weekend, Jacob wrote “It felt amazing knowing not only the entire hockey team but the entire Holderness community is playing and supporting something bigger than just a hockey game. For the entire school to embrace the game and unite around it meant so much to my entire family and me.”