ROCHELLE – The 18th Annual Conor O’Rorke Memorial Basketball Tournament was held at Steward Elementary School over the weekend to both help raise funds for a good cause while remembering Conor and the game he loved to play.
Conor passed away in July 2002 at the age of 10 due to complications with his cancer treatments. Later that year in December, two Steward Elementary School board members came up with the idea to create an event to help raise money and remember Conor at the same time.
That is how the idea for the annual memorial basketball tournament began.
“At the time, the current playground needed to be updated, so the funds were used to completely update the playground as well as dedicate it in the name of Conor O’Rorke,” said Jennie O’Rorke, mother of Conor. “Now the first $2,000 is donated to the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago and the rest goes to the Steward Educational Fund.”
Since the inception of the event, it has raised over $135,000 and added a Saturday morning blood drive held in honor of the many blood donations Conor received during his treatments.
The tournament consists of between 8-and-12 sixth grade schools from around the area, both big and small schools. The main tournament is bracket style and spread over two days, but there are also separate competitions such as a free throw contest.

Above, Jennie O’Rorke presents a trophy to free throw contest winner Tyler Townsend from Sycamore.

Everyone who participates in the tournament receives a medal and gets their name called while everyone in the audience cheers, but the team that wins the tournament receives a trophy.
For many of the kids involved this is there very first tournament, so O’Rorke reminds them that this event is about more than just winning.
“This is a fun community event that is a fundraiser, so we like to remind the kids that it is not all about winning, but about realizing that life is a blessing and cherishing your children,” added O’Rorke.
While this event is aimed at raising money and honoring Conor, it also focuses on the sport of basketball, which Conor loved playing.

All of the coaches and referees at the tournament are volunteers that have chosen to take time out of their day to support the fundraiser. O’Rorke is very thankful for the community coming together to put this event on and says that it could not be done without all of the help.
“This is just an excellent tournament, it is well run, the refs are great and always on time. This community is just so supportive,” said O’Rorke.
Winners of this year’s tournament were the DeKalb Bengals. Tyler Townsend, of Sycamore, won the free throw competition. The Conor O’Rorke Memorial Basketball Tournament will take place again the first weekend in December 2020.

Pictured above is the Oregon J-Hawks, the winning tournament team.