Joe Fountain Memorial Fund
To watch him play was to…
…see a boy with a ball tight to his foot carving the length of his path with quick and clever shifts, moving always with an effortless grace. He played with a refinement that happens, often only after many more years on a pitch. He never really acknowledged what a beautiful player he was, he just liked to play. He is remembered and admired for that level of play, but we also remember him for so much more than that.
Joe Fountain grew up on the south side of Madison. His family was very close-knit and loving. His hardworking parents were a steady presence on the sidelines, proudly cheering on their son and everyone else’s, too. Soccer was the focus that initially brought us all together, but it was the community and friendships that grew out of a bunch of kids and a ball playing together, that has bound us beyond the last whistle. Joe was a quiet kid with an easy smile who found, in his team, a sense of belonging and there is no doubt about how pivotal that can be. Though he didn’t talk much about his exceptional skills, he quietly prospered in the self confidence they inspired. The friendships stretched well beyond the perimeters of the pitch and the time between seasons. They added to a sense of identity and, when needed, there was always support that could be counted on.
Quite out of the blue, as is often the way, an unimaginable tragedy descended upon Joe’s family. One more impossible to make sense of loss wedges itself forever into a heart and suddenly changes everything. Joe stayed close to the comfort of family then, as some of the bright light that always shone in his eyes faded.
His life, in the end, was too short.
Joe would have benefited from Millennium when he was young, had it been established back then. As an adult, he would have loved and supported its mission.
To honor his memory and spirit, we have established the Joe Fountain Memorial Fund to help provide others with the opportunity to discover the joy of playing with a ball and a bunch of kids who like to do the same; to experience the beautiful game and the community that surrounds it.
All donations are appreciated and will go towards sponsoring children who would not otherwise be able to join in.
Mail Donations to:
Millennium Soccer Club
c/o Joe Fountain Fund
P.O. Box 5171
Madison, WI 53705
Written by Terri Connelly Cronk, family friend and co-founder of the Joe Fountain Memorial Fund.
