Madelyn Eitas' soccer team dedicates season in her memory

ROCHESTER — Old Rochester Youth Soccer club players and organizers have dedicated this season to the memory of Madelyn Eitas, a Rochester 11-year-old who died in an avalanche in February. 

The middle schoolers will wear patches with their former teammate’s number throughout the season, and held a ceremony and bake sale for Madelyn during their first game. 

Sixth, seventh and eighth grade club members organized a bake sale Saturday, April 11 in honor of Madelyn and raised over $500 to the Forever 1111 Foundation, which was founded in her memory. 

Madelyn played on the Sharks for years and her mother, Becky Eitas, coached the team for three years. 

Fiona White, a sixth grader from Rochester Memorial School, was one of Madelyn’s teammates and helped organize the sale. She’s known Madelyn since first grade. 

Fiona and her teammates decorated the field’s fences with posters and quotes celebrating Madelyn. 

“I think that she would have had a great time doing it with us,” she said. 

Fiona said one of her favorite memories of Madelyn was getting in trouble at practice and having to run laps. 

She said she was grateful for her team being able to support her, and hopes they can win and celebrate the season in their former teammate’s memory. 

“Obviously we would like to win but also win it for her and just do good and have fun,” White said. 

Last year, Madelyn decided to continue on with the Mariner Scorpions club and her mother stepped down as coach. 

Darryk Modracek is the registrar and director of field operations for the soccer club. He decided to dedicate the season to Madelyn and made the patches her teammates wore. 

Modracek said he hopes to commemorate the things Madelyn stood for and the joy she brought to her teammates and coaches. 

“We hope that the rest of her team and teams of the future will emulate (Madelyn),” Modracek said.  

He said the team will make South Coast communities aware of her story and continue her memory, especially on the road. 

Becky Eitas said she was “blown away” by the support of the girls on the soccer team and people in the community. 

She said her daughter loved soccer and being on the team with all of the girls.

“Those girls were her family, and it's a really special thing to continue that. The girls go out there on the field and play for her, even though she's not here, so I know that every time they go out there that they're thinking of her,” Becky Eitas said. 

Connet Woods, the Eitas’ neighborhood, illuminated the street that evening in celebration of Madelyn’s life. 

“Saturday was just an incredible testament to our community and the fact that Madelyn was so loved, so it was incredible. It was a really beautiful day,” Becky Eitas said.

Carla Correia, whose daughter plays for the Sharks, attended the Saturday event. 

Correia said remembering Madelyn is important because she was “such a champion” for the team. Correia said she was always hyping everybody up and a “central force”. 

“She made all the girls feel like they were their best selves playing, and she was always in a good mood and always positive and building everybody up,”Correia said. “She really was friends with every single girl on the team.” 

The funds raised for the Forever 1111 Foundation will be used for a soccer scholarship, various improvements to Dexter Soccer Fields and initiatives promoting avalanche safety. 

Becky Eitas said there will be multiple events to support the foundation soon.