Wiffle®️Ball Tournament shows community, purpose after tragedy

The Luke Roux Foundation hosted its second annual Wiffle®️Ball tournament on June 13, 2026, at the grounds of the Farmington Little League fields. The event, which saw nearly 100 players across 16 teams, along with numerous volunteers and spectators, was a heartfelt demonstration of the importance of community and purpose.

The Wiffle®️Ball tournament, which took place at the same fields where Luke Roux grew up playing youth baseball, featured 31 games, a children's home run derby, a raffle, face painting, balloon art, music and a magician. For the second straight year, The Fireballs, made up of Farmington residents, including two of Luke’s neighbors, took home the title after defeating the ATH Legends in the final, a team made up of Luke’s former baseball teammates.

Another team that participated was The Wolves, a team of six of Luke’s former ice hockey teammates from the West Hartford Wolves youth program. Aidan Adams, Luke’s former defensive partner, participated as a member of the team.

Adams said playing in the tournament was never a question, both as a way to remember Luke and to reconnect with his former teammates, many of whom share a bond after years of playing together.

“Playing in this tournament is a huge deal not only for me but also for the people I play with. Our team consists of Luke's former teammates. We all grew up playing hockey and we all ended up meeting because of it. We all played together with Mr. Roux as our coach, so this tournament is a way for us to remember that and remember how all of us came together and met,” Adams said.

The second annual tournament took place 12 days before the four-year mark of Luke’s passing on June 25, 2022. That day, while driving home from a baseball game, Luke was struck by an intoxicated driver at a Farmington intersection just a few miles from his home.

In the wake of the tragedy, Luke’s parents, Carri and Steve Roux, created the Luke Roux Foundation. This foundation aims to “reduce fatalities caused by impaired driving today and eliminate them tomorrow.” It supports the message of having a plan when consuming alcohol to ensure no one drives impaired and encourages others to do the same.

Steve said the magnitude of support that an event like this brings to their cause is incredibly important to promote the message of planning ahead before taking your first drink.

“That level of participation is powerful. Every team, every player, every volunteer expands the reach of our message. When nearly a hundred people step onto the field and even more stand around it, they’re not just playing a game. They’re helping us educate, advocate and build momentum toward a future where impaired driving is eliminated. The turnout shows that the community believes in this mission and that support fuels everything we do,” Steve said.

Steve said the foundation chose Wiffle®️Ball because of Luke’s love of playing different sports and the game's ability to reconnect players with their childhoods.

“Luke loved sports and Wiffle®️Ball was no exception. Choosing Wiffle®️Ball felt natural. It’s a game that brings people back to childhood memories and simpler times. It gives everyone a chance to step away from life’s challenges, reconnect with friends and enjoy some friendly competition. It’s fun, accessible and exactly the kind of environment Luke thrived in,” Steve said.

Steve, Carri and the Luke Roux Foundation hope to host the event again next year and continue to promote their message of planning ahead before consuming alcohol. For more information on the Luke Roux Foundation, please visit www.lukeroux.com or follow @luke_rouxfoundation on social media.