The Brevard College Men’s Soccer team and the Jameson’s Joy Memorial Service Foundation recently came together following a special connection between the foundation and BC soccer student-athlete Pedro Herrera.
The Jameson’s Joy Memorial Service Foundation was created to honor the life and legacy of an amazing 9-year-old boy Jameson Courtine by inspiring people to build and strengthen their communities through acts of kindness. The movement began when a friend decided to honor Jameson – who passed away after a sudden illness on Feb. 27, 2019 – with a random acts of kindness day at school. This idea quickly became a random acts of kindness day all over the county as the hashtag #Jamesonsjoy was created by members of the community and the foundation idea was born.
The foundation’s projects have included community initiatives such as the Jameson’s Joy Memorial Fitness Park located in Transylvania County; programming that has provided over 400 books to date to local kids through SAFE and Hendersonville Pediatrics; and the “Daddy Hug” program encouraging fathers to read and in turn bond with their children.
Serendipitously, Herrera was recently a guest at a Brevard Elementary School class taught by Dan Courtine, Jameson’s father who along with his wife Erica Courtine founded the foundation. At the class, the fourth grade students began peppering Herrera with questions upon realizing his role as a men’s soccer student-athlete for the Tornados.
Herrera, a sophomore forward from Montevideo, Uruguay, began answering the questions of the students. One student asked Herrera what jersey number he wore. Upon answering that he now wears #9 after previously wearing #13, the connection was promptly made by Courtine that Jameson also wore #9 in both soccer and baseball.
Courtine detailed the March 10th encounter on the Jameson’s Joy Facebook page:
Today, I had a Brevard College student join my class for a project in one of his classes. As we were getting to know him, one of my students asked him what number he wore on his soccer team. He said he was usually #13, but this year he is #9…Jameson’s last number in soccer and baseball. I don’t know if there are signs, but if there are signs then having the college student placed in my class and have his soccer number changed to Jameson’s is one.
So, we are now HUGE #9 Pedro Herrera fans on Brevard College Tornado Athletics and Brevard College Men’s Soccer. Pedro, there is a little 9 year old boy in Heaven that I imagine is cheering you on loudly. Play Hard!
To commemorate the connection and raise awareness for Jameson’s Joy, a pre-game ceremony took place prior to the Brevard vs. Greensboro men’s soccer game on March 21 at Ives-Lemel Family Field. At the ceremony, Herrera and the BC Men’s Soccer team presented Jameson’s parents Dan and Erica, along with his brother Rhys with a special #9 jersey autographed by the entire team.
Photo Caption (L-R): Brevard College Head Men’s Soccer Coach Helio “L” D’Anna, BC student-athlete Pedro Herrera, Erica Courtine, Dan Courtine, Rhys Courtine and Associate Head Coach Juan Mascaro Jr.
Photo Credit: Victoria Brayman