Hoop It Up

Written by: Kate Snyder, Executive Assistant

It's Spring so that means it must be time for basketball! No, I'm not talking about March Madness and the NCAA. I'm sure college basketball is all well and good but what has really caught our attention here at EECM is the annual Hoop It Up Basketball Tournament organized by our dedicated Children & Youth staff.

Each year, EECM works hard to organize a three-weekend basketball tournament for youth. The participants range from third grade through twelfth -- this year there are 19 teams taking part in the tournament. The first weekend of play was last weekend, there's a qualifying round this weekend, and the finals will be April 12th.

As with all of our youth programming, the Hoop It Up Tournament combines learning and fun. The tournament has an educational focus as well as a recreational one -- this year, the staff are emphasizing violence and drug-use prevention. They distribute literature to the players and encourage them to sign pledges, asserting their desire to remain drug-free.

Good luck to all the players!