PCA Updates
Nearly three years after the last in-person JEANS + JERSEYS: Positive Impact Celebration, we returned to the InterContinental Boston to celebrate leaders, heroes, and competitors making a positive impact in sports, and beyond—Steve Pagliuca, Marcus Smart, and Gabby Thomas plus Kate Collins, Rhode Limage, Shea Saracino, and Ellie Streeper. Celtics Green, and #36, dominated the room as guests and honorees mingled, shot hoops, and connected sharing stories and the power of sports done right to shape and change lives.
The sea of green was dotted with the colors of the many teams, nations, and athletes our guests care about, and who inspire them. There were jerseys from Atalanta, the Breakers, Bruins, Celtics, Duke, Ghana, Israel, Michigan, Patriots, Pride, Red Sox, Renegades, Team USA, and more than a couple of high schools.
In a true, PCA-style “Respect Your Rival” moment, the winner of the “best jersey” contest was Jojo Boynton in a Premier Hockey Federation “Black Rosie” Metropolitan Riveters jersey, from New Jersey.
This fun, colorful evening was about our honorees and their passion and commitment to making the world a better place. With WBZ-TV 4 /CBS Boston News Anchor David Wade at the mic, we learned about our honorees as athletes and as people. Gabby inspires young athletes, and she is studying epidemiology and volunteering to address health disparities in communities of color. Marcus battles for every loose ball on the court, and he is actively running his YounGameChanger Foundation to change lives, support kids battling cancer, and help find a cure for cancer. Steve co-owns the Celtics (now Atalanta too) and co-chairs Bain Capital, and he is committed to bringing people to collaborate on the world’s biggest challenges, from the global pandemic to the tragic war in Ukraine.
Authentic. Indomitable. Inspirational. Caring. Those were the first four words people used to describe our honorees. There were more. Infectious Enthusiasm. Gracious. Exceptional. Confident. Poised.
Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey spoke of Steve Pagliuca’s infectious enthusiasm in her introduction describing his passion for college basketball, and his passion for bringing about positive change through collaboration in critical areas like education, equity, health care, life sciences and more.
Gracious was a word many guests applied to Marcus Smart who shared deeply personal stories, including how his brother’s death from cancer powers his game on the court, and drives his work in the community. Marcus rebounded for guests who took shots right in the Abigail Adams Ballroom on hoops from Franklin Sports, and congratulated Kate, Rhode, Shea, and Ellie.
Gabby Thomas joined us via video, and her Harvard Coach Kebba Tolbert accepted on her behalf describing how exceptional she is at connecting and inspiring others, teammates, fans and more, as an athlete and as a person.
Finally, Kate, Rhode, Shea and Ellie, closed out the night sharing and showing how sports have shaped who they are and gave them incredible opportunities—giving them confidence, resilience, gratitude, leadership skills, and joy.
All of our honorees had important moments in their life when sports, and coaches, made a major impact on them, as athletes, and as people. The evening ended on one of the many positive impact moments. Rhode, the 6th of 9 kids in her family, thanked her Boston SCORES coach and award-winning PCA coach, Ethan Goldman, for nominating her for two scholarships, from PCA and the Posse Foundation. Rhode won both and will attend college in the fall on a full scholarship.
Additional Playmaker Sponsor:
With this event we have made a strong start to meeting our revenue goals, yet, as always there is more to be done, more kids, coaches, parents, and sports leaders to reach. It’s not too late to support our work. You can still make a donation below, get involved, spread the word, and save the date, July 21, for the next big event, the STADIUM STAMPEDE at FENWAY.
