BURRILLVILLE – A wrestler with the Burrillville Lighting program who also competes as a Burrillville Patriots football player is in the running for the title of Youth Athlete of the Year with apparel and accessory company 3Brand, competing for a chance to be featured in an ad in Sports Illustrated and to take home $25,000.
Eight-year-old Geoffrey Poirier is currently leading his group in the nationwide competition, a bracket-style contest celebrating outstanding young athletes across the country.
Poirier, a state finalist and 12X tournament champ, brought home a State Championship title this year and came in third in the Greco Northeast Regionals. He boasts a 32-8 record after competing in five states with his hometown wrestling program, and placed at all 16 tournaments he entered.
Rechartered in 2023, Burrillville Lightning is a co-ed youth program with a long history in town – now thriving under the leadership of Poirier’s parents: Ashley and Geoff Poirier. The year-round program is open to athletes in kindergarten through 8th grade from all of northern Rhode Island, with Geoff serving as head coach while Ashley handles other aspects of the organization, entering its third season.
The young athlete is also in his second year as a Burrillville Patriots Football Player.
“Geoffrey plays football, but wrestling is in his heart,” notes his profile in the national competition. “As much as he loves practicing with his team, his favorite part of wrestling is traveling to compete at tournaments and get as many minutes on the may as he can.”
Asked who inspires him on and off the field, Poirier named Lightning Coach Anthony Hodde.
“He hopes to be as strong and him one day and as good of a wrestler,” notes the bio.
Poirier was selected to compete in the elimination-style contest, which started with 60 kids in his group. Each week, more participants are eliminated, and the 8-year-old from Burrillville is currently in first place in a group of 20 athletes. If he stays in first through August, he’ll move on to the quarterfinals to run against three other group winners.
“What we love most about this competition is that it is rooted in fundraising, something that our family celebrates,” said Ashley, noting that she and her husband fundraise regularly while managing Burrillville Lightning, and both sit on the Burrillville Patriots Board.
With the Patriots, Geoff serves as the 2025 equipment manager and Ashley is the fundraising coordinator.
For the 3Brand contest, winners are chosen via votes, with everyone invited to vote for Poirier once daily for free here. Additional votes can be cast by donating to two causes: The V Foundation, funding cancer research and The Why Not You Foundation, supporting underprivileged youth athletes.
“We’re hoping to rally support from our Burrillville community to help him keep those votes climbing,” Ashley said.
