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Paschal alum Drew Medford died in a one-car accident in August 2016, about one week before he was to begin his time at TCU, where he was scheduled to pitch for the baseball team. The Drew Medford Memorial Baseball Tournament began in 2017, and the annual event is this week in Fort Worth.<\/p>\n
Photo provided by Nancy Medford <\/p>\n
On Saturday, hundreds of Fort Worth-area baseball fans will head to the bleachers at Paschal High School for the conclusion of the 10th annual Drew Medford Memorial Tournament<\/a>.<\/p>\n Spectators will witness a rivalry dating back more than a century when the Panthers take on Arlington Heights. They\u2019ll also see the continuation of a legacy that has become ingrained in Fort Worth-area baseball.<\/p>\n The tournament was created to honor the life of Drew Medford, 18, who died in a car crash<\/a> in August 2016.<\/p>\n The teenagers playing in the tournament won\u2019t have a personal connection to him. But from seeing a photo or hearing a story, they\u2019ll understand his legacy \u2014 one that has been shared with thousands through a tournament that had humble beginnings.<\/p>\n Creating the Drew Medford Memorial Tournament<\/p>\n Medford was a district MVP and an all-state player at Paschal. He was beginning his collegiate career at TCU when he died.<\/p>\n Even through pain, family and friends acted swiftly to honor his name.<\/p>\n Drew\u2019s siblings came up with the idea, and with community support, the DMMT was born from an existing Heights-Paschal tournament.<\/p>\n \u201cCoaches were happy for us to get involved,\u201d said Adrienne Grant, Drew\u2019s sister and current tournament manager.<\/p>\n \u201cFrom there, we realized we could fundraise and make it something bigger.\u201d<\/p>\n The tournament\u2019s original board was a ragtag group of 10 family members and friends who helped deliver yard signs, knocked on doors to ask for donations and spread the word. In the inaugural competition, there were six teams.<\/p>\n \u201cInitially, it was hard as a mom grieving the loss of a child,\u201d said Nancy Medford<\/a>, Drew\u2019s mother. \u201cAnd people getting all excited about it, saying \u2018Yay, here\u2019s the tournament!\u2019<\/p>\n \u201cAnd I\u2019m sitting there thinking, \u2018Oh my gosh. It\u2019s hard.\u2019 But over the years, you learn to live with grief.\u201d<\/p>\n One of the goals of the tournament is to encourage kids that you can make an impact with character, regardless of results on the field, Grant said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe want future leaders to feel honored for the legacy that they\u2019re leaving with their team,\u201d Grant said.<\/p>\n Scholarships are awarded at the tournament, and there are three main criteria: a drive to succeed; humility and empathy for others; and leadership within baseball.<\/p>\n \u201cThose are the things that I want people to know about Drew,\u201d Nancy said.<\/p>\n And although those off-the-field qualities are prioritized, the tournament still aims to bring together elite competition to celebrate the game Drew loved at a high level.<\/p>\n \u201cHe was more than a baseball player, although you\u2019d be hard-pressed to find out what more he was because he ate and drank and slept baseball,\u201d Nancy said.<\/p>\n Growing the Drew Medford Memorial Tournament<\/p>\n Nancy Medford said she originally thought the tournament would be a one-time thing.<\/p>\n Now, it has awarded $218,000 in scholarships and will reach $247,000 this year.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s really, really cool to see the community get behind it,\u201d Paschal head coach Clint Dunham said. \u201cAnd all the people that were his friends and family members, and close family friends, support it as well. It\u2019s just really unique to the community and to Fort Worth.\u201d<\/p>\n To this day, the Heights-Paschal game closes the tournament, which ties back to its roots before it was renamed. It continues to celebrate a local Fort Worth ISD rivalry that is arguably the biggest in the city.<\/p>\n And ahead of that game, one senior from a record-tying 29 baseball teams will receive a $1,000 scholarship.<\/p>\n Over 20 Fort Worth-area teams are involved, with representation from towns like Aledo, Arlington, North Richland Hills and Mansfield.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s so much crossover in those communities, and it\u2019s fun to get everyone together,\u201d Grant said.<\/p>\n The tournament has grown beyond Dallas-Fort Worth, stretching to West Texas and even out-of-state teams like Greenbrier (Arkansas) and Mandeville (Louisiana).<\/p>\n Nolan Catholic, Country Day, Prestonwood and Trinity Valley bring together public and private schools.<\/p>\n \u201cWe still have a wait list,\u201d Grant said. \u201cWe kind of take on what we think we can handle. It\u2019ll continue to grow, and it really was the coaches\u2019 support that helped it get off the ground.\u201d<\/p>\n There are now 172 recipients and counting who carry on Drew\u2019s legacy.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t think any of us realized it was going to take off like this,\u201d Nancy Medford said. \u201cAnd it means the absolute world to my family, to my husband and me, to be able to enjoy keeping our son\u2019s name out in the public arena.\u201d<\/p>\n Bringing the community together<\/p>\n The tournament will begin at 6 p.m. Wednesday with an annual welcome dinner at Paschal High School. Hundreds of baseball players will come together for a meal, including many who know each other from local travel ball.<\/p>\n Chicken Express, a sponsor since the tournament\u2019s first year, will provide the dinner. It\u2019s an example of the community loyalty that has sustained the DMMT for a decade. Trinity Bank returns as presenting sponsor, with Vaquero, Frost Bank and Jason\u2019s Deli and more among the supporting partners.<\/p>\n \u201cI think the secret [to longevity] is the community support,\u201d Grant said.<\/p>\n There will also be three high-profile guest speakers who played baseball at TCU and went on to professional careers: Bryan Holaday, Chad Huffman and Jantzen Witte.<\/p>\n And the next day, the players will start the first of 66 games at seven sites (Paschal, Arlington Heights, Aledo, Birdville, Boswell, Country Day and South Grand Prairie).<\/p>\n A connection through generations<\/p>\n Grant\u2019s daughter, Grayson Grant, is a senior at Paschal, and she helps grow the tournament. She started her own division of the board this year with fellow Paschal students, naming it the Youth Impact Leadership Council.<\/p>\n Their goal is to raise 1,000 $10 donations in honor of the tournament\u2019s 10th anniversary. They also help drive T-shirt sales on campus.<\/p>\n And when Grayson graduates, her brother Cape will start at Paschal as a freshman.<\/p>\n Cape, who had his first day of kindergarten the day of Drew\u2019s funeral, has been throwing out the first pitch of the tournament\u2019s last game.<\/p>\n And every year, he keeps wearing his uncle Drew\u2019s old Paschal baseball hat, which keeps getting a bit tighter.<\/p>\n \u201cFor him to now have a hand in it, as he enters high school, is just incredible, and I know that it\u2019ll just keep getting passed down,\u201d Adrienne Grant said.<\/p>\n Celebrating the next generation of leaders<\/p>\n Ben Ayala was a friend of Drew\u2019s and was Paschal\u2019s first scholarship recipient in the inaugural Drew Medford tournament in 2017.<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t understand the severity of it and how it would impact my life, but it definitely made me work a lot harder in college,\u201d Ayala said. \u201cAnd it also made me work a lot harder playing baseball in college. At the end of the day, I just wanted to be like Drew.\u201d<\/p>\n Almost a decade later, none of the athletes knew Drew as well as Ayala. But they\u2019ve seen the Drew Medford signs around Fort Worth, and the pictures around Paschal.<\/p>\n \u201cThey know he\u2019s that redheaded competitive baseball player who had a really dirty uniform,\u201d Dunham said. \u201cEvery year when the tournament comes around, we get to reemphasize all those important character traits that Drew had that we try to identify in each scholarship recipient.\u201d<\/p>\n One of those recipients was Arlington Heights class of 2025 graduate Scooter New. He resembles Drew with curly red hair and now plays at Dallas College Mountain View.<\/p>\n \u201cI saw him from across the room, and I was taken aback,\u201d Nancy said. \u201cHe had so many similarities to Drew in physical appearances. \u2026 But he\u2019s just a really genuine kid. Just exhibits great manners, just a young man of integrity, and easy to talk to.\u201d<\/p>\n Whether it\u2019s leadership qualities, humility or empathy, all scholarship recipients resemble Drew in one way or another.<\/p>\n \u201cAny chance you have to see a glimpse of somebody who resembles [Drew] \u2014 oh my goodness, it\u2019s wonderful,\u201d Nancy said. \u201cThat\u2019s such an exciting thing to me.\u201d<\/p>\n This story was originally published March 2, 2026 at 5:00 AM.<\/p>\n Drew Medford delivers a pitch in a game against Weatherford on July 12, 2016. Rodger Mallison rmallison@star-telegram.com <\/p>\n
Arlington Heights pitcher Marco Solis works in the first inning during the Drew Medford Memorial Tournament on March 12, 2022, at Paschal High School. Paschal defeated Arlington Heights 7-4. Bob Booth Special to the Star-Telegram <\/p>\n
Drew Medfords\u2019s family, including brother Michael Medford, dad David, mom Nancy and sisters Adrienne Grant and Julia Medford, poses before a game in the Drew Medford Memorial Tournament on March 12, 2022, at Paschal High School. Bob Booth Special to the Star-Telegram <\/p>\n
Arlington Heights players watch the action during the fifth annual Drew Medford Memorial Tournament on March 13, 2021, at Arlington Heights High School. Paschal defeated Arlington Heights 3-1 in the final game of the tournament. Bob Booth Special to the Star-Telegram <\/p>\n
Paschal pitcher Nico Vasquez (34) celebrates with teammates after closing out a win over Arlington Heights during the Drew Medford Memorial Tournament on March 12, 2022, at Paschal. Bob Booth Special to the Star-Telegram <\/p>\n
Mansfield Legacy left fielder Hayden Guerin (17) is welcomed back to the dugout after scoring during the fifth annual Drew Medford Memorial Tournament on March 12, 2021, at Legacy. Legacy defeated Arlington Martin 5-0. Bob Booth Special to the Star-Telegram <\/p>\n
Coaches, family and the 24 players who received a scholarship pose for a photo before the Drew Medford Memorial Tournament on March 12, 2022, at Paschal High School. Bob Booth Special to the Star-Telegram <\/p>\n
Texas Rangers catcher Bryan Holaday hits a single against the Houston Astros in the second inning April 21, 2016, in Arlington. Richard W. Rodriguez rrodriguez@star-telegram.com <\/p>\n
Grayson Grant (middle) wears a Drew Medford shirt at North Texas Giving Day. Grant Family Courtesy to the Star-Telegram <\/p>\n
Cape Grant wears Drew Medford\u2019s Paschal baseball hat as he prepares to throw the first pitch ahead of the final game of the Drew Medford Memorial Tournament. Grant Family Courtesy to the Star-Telegram <\/p>\n