Needham Baseball & Softball Annual Scholarships in Honor of Jackie Bergin & Jim Windhorst

Needham Baseball & Softball awards two scholarships annually to high school seniors who played in our leagues. Needham Baseball & Softball awards $1,000 each to the two winners

Jackie Bergin Scholarship

Jackie Bergin was a young man tragically killed in a car accident in the early 1990s.  He participated in Needham Little League (the predecessor to Needham Baseball & Softball) as a youth and cherished the diamond.  In his memory, his family established a scholarship to honor a high school senior who embodies the spirit of Jackie and his love of the game. The scholarship amount is $1000.

Jackie Bergin was a young man tragically killed in a car accident in the early 1990s.  He participated in Needham Little League as a youth and cherished the diamond.  In his memory, his family initially established a scholarship and since it was established the Board has continued to grant the scholarship to honor a high school senior who embodies the spirit of Jackie and his love of the game. The scholarship amount is currently $1000.

Jim Windhorst Scholarship

Jim Windhorst was a Needham Baseball Board member and coach who passed away after a lengthy illness in 2011. He was much loved and respected by all who knew him. In his memory, the Needham Baseball & Softball board has established a scholarship to complement the long-standing Bergin Scholarship. The scholarship amount is currently $1000.

Who is Eligible to Apply:

To be eligible for the Scholarships applicants must (1) be a Needham resident, (2) be a senior in high school (public or private), (3) be committed to attend a college or vocational school after graduation, (4) have participated in a Needham Baseball & Softball program in their youth, and (5) submit one to two-page essay (no less than 500 words) by the applicable deadline.

How Do I Apply:

To be considered, eligible applicants should write and submit a one to two-page essay (no less than 500 words) describing "What my experience in Needham Baseball & Softball means to me” by May 10th (changed from April 15th) to janddkeene@gmail.com. Please denote “Scholarship Essay” in the subject line of the email.

How Are Winners Selected:

Essays will be evaluated based on writing style (including grammar, spelling, sentence structure, and flow), content (including originality, clarity, depth of thought) and heart (including creativity, emotional impact and purpose fulfillment)

Award winners will be announced via email on May 15th.

Past Winners

2023- Ryan Torrisi and Amanda Ferreira

2022 - Max Surprenant and Lindsay Hess

2021- Sam Chutkow and Cecilia Wekstein

2020- Ryan Lavelle and Steven Donovan, Jr.

2019- Nick Lesanto and Tom Chmielewski

2018 - Kelly Lavelle and Alex Luscher