The Burns Middle School Lady Foxes lost their teammate, eighth grader Brookelynne Shannon, in the middle of the season last year. Brookelynne was hospitalized in early January 2018 after severe flu complications led to pneumonia, staph infection and acute respiratory disorder, eventually taking the 13-year-old’s life.
So, when the basketball season began this year, Lady Foxes coach, Laurel Beaty, knew she wanted to honor their missing teammate. Putting her head together with other coaches, Beaty said the consensus was the Brookelynne Shannon Memorial Shootout.
Beaty invited eighth grade teams from Burns, McLean County, College View, Ohio County, Owensboro and Bowling Green, to play one game each on Saturday at the BMS gym.
“All of these teams have already started their seasons, but when I invited them to play in the Saturday shootout, they all accepted,” Beaty said. “All of them told me afterwards that they were honored to play for such a good cause.”
Although the 6-team shootout brought in almost $1,000, Beaty said she hopes to expand next year into a full-day tournament.
During the tournament, a banner with Brookelynne’s photo was unveiled in the Burns Middle School gym. Beaty said the idea for the banner actually came from McLean County Middle School who lost teammate, Evie Hoover, in 2017.
“Brookelynne’s banner will hang in the center of Burns Middle School’s gym for at least the remainder of the season as a way to honor her,” Beaty said. “The banner will be a constant reminder to our teams and visiting teams to always play #brookelynnestrongforever.”
Brookelynne’s classmates are now freshmen in high school. Beaty said several of them came back for the event Saturday. Also, Brookelynne’s younger sister, Soleil, is now a member of the seventh grade Lady Foxes team.
“It’s great to have her, as well as her parents, still apart of our program,” Beaty said.
Jamie Shannon, Brookelynne’s mom, says she will always feel connected to this team.
“Soleil is only in fifth grade, so being able to be a part of this team for her is such a huge honor,” Shannon said. “Of course it is a very comforting thing for our family as well to be able to stay close to this team also. We lost Brookelynne right in the middle of her basketball season last school year so of course this team, coaches and players will always have a huge place in our hearts.”
The funds raised from the shootout will help Jamie officially start the Brookelynne Kyarra Memorial Foundation.
“We have thought about it for a while and felt now was the right time,” Jamie said. “We are setting the foundation in place to honor her and use it to support different things that would be dear to her heart. We hope to eventually set up a scholarship fund within the foundation as well.”
Jamie said the shootout was a great success and she is thankful to Beatty and the rest of the BMS family for honoring her daughter.
“Unveiling the banner was very emotional for all of us,” Jamie said. “It’s such an amazing tribute to Brookelynne. We absolutely love it. My beautiful girl is always with that team now and forever.”
