Bring Your Glove tournament keeps Leawood boy’s memory alive

More than 20 teams took part in a weekend wiffle ball tournament in Leawood that carried Duke Ryan Ommert’s memory into another round of games, giveaways and family gatherings. The event centered on the Do Like Duke Foundation, created to honor the 10-year-old from Leawood, Kansas, and turned a neighborhood pastime into a recurring tribute.

Duke’s name has become part of local sports life since his death in 2025. He was born May 17, 2015, to Ryan and Monica Ommert, and his obituary said he died surrounded by family after injuries sustained when he was struck by a car. A report on Oct. 23, 2025 said the Leawood boy died after being hit while riding an e-scooter, and Leawood police later said the driver’s action was not a contributing factor in the crash that claimed his life.

The tournament gave that loss a structure that friends and supporters could return to. Organizers leaned on the phrase Duke used when making plans with friends, “Bring your glove!” and made it the event’s callout, giving the day a personal detail that fit the loose, family-centered feel of wiffle ball. The format also kept the memorial open to a wide range of ages and skill levels, which helped the event function as both competition and remembrance.

A video transcript from the tournament said the organization gave away about 700 items during the event, underscoring how the gathering extended beyond the field. The combination of games, giveaways and the foundation’s work gave the tribute a broader reach than a single afternoon of play. Wiffle ball, with its low barrier to entry and backyard feel, has become a natural way to keep Duke’s story active in the community while letting families and kids take part in the remembrance themselves.

The event also fit into a larger pattern around the Do Like Duke Foundation, which has used sports to keep Duke’s memory visible. The foundation has been tied to other community efforts as well, including a March Gladness Do Like Duke 3x3 Tournament at HomeField KC. In Leawood, though, the wiffle ball event carried the clearest connection to Duke’s own words and the easygoing game that matched them.