Voorhees Girls Softball Association

WHAT IS THE JENN PORCO SCHOLARSHIP AND WHO IS JENN PORCO?

Each year, Voorhees Girls Softball Association awards one or more 1 time scholarship to those seniors who have completed the scholarship application and requirements listed on the application and are graduating from Eastern High School. Besides completing the application, each girl applying must also have played for Voorhees Girls Softball and one year on a High School team.

This scholarship is in memory of Jennifer Porco. Jennifer started playing softball with VGSA when she was in kindergarten. She and her family lived in Voorhees. Her mom coached her in-house team for two years before she began playing travel. During that time she wanted to pitch so badly but her Mom wouldn't let her until she proved she could do it well. She started practicing with her brother every day after school and then began taking pitching lessons. She loved her friends and softball. The position Jenn loved to play the most was as a pitcher. And when VGSA first started the Travel Teams in 1995, Jenn was on the first Major Travel team. She was the main pitcher for that team. Jenn also pitched for the Voorhees Middle School softball team. All her hard work was paying off and she was the main pitcher for both teams. Before her freshman year at Eastern High School, Jenn was diagnosed with leukemia. She was able to have treatment and was in remission. That spring, she went out for the freshman softball team at Eastern High School. She got to play in two pre-season games before the cancer came back and she was unable to play the rest of the season. Jenn passed away that August but she left behind with her friends and fellow players her love of the game.

Jenn loved the game of softball – her desire to play, her dedication to the game, the hours she spent practicing to become the best pitcher she could be – are just some of the reasons why this scholarship is in her memory. VGSA wanted to recognize this type of dedication and felt the best way was to name a scholarship for Jenn and give this award to seniors who loved softball like Jenn. And VGSA also decided to retire Jenn’s number that she always wore on her uniform - #22 - so no girl who plays intramural or travel softball for VGSA can have the #22 on her uniform. And each uniform top for all girls who play for VGSA have a small #22 on it to inspire all girls to strive for that same determination and dedication towards the game of softball.


The Jenn Porco Scholarship Award was started in 1999 and every year 1 or more girls have received this award for their love and dedication to softball. The guidance office at Eastern High School helps to obtain the completed scholarships and the VGSA Scholarship Committee evaluates the applications to make sure the criteria for the scholarship is met. This scholarship is funded by the all the money raised by the Jenn Porco Pitching clinic that run for 5 Saturdays every January/February. Additional money is added to this fund from tournament applications that use the fields at Lions Lake.