Almost four years ago, Mayor Jones and I were discussing ways we could provide more positive outlets for the youth of our region. At some point, the conversation turned to the old Holiday Shootout basketball tournament that had been a staple in our community for many years before eventually falling by the wayside. We believed that it could be brought back and even better than before.
At first, there were many skeptics. “It costs too much”. “There’s no way to safely do it.” These were some barriers put in front of us that could have stopped this revival from happening. Fortunately, the Mayor and I put together a great team of dedicated folks that wouldn’t take no for an answer. We kept pushing, and thus, the Harry Johnson Holiday Classic was born. Named after the legendary GW basketball coach, this new tournament would focus on fun and bringing families and people of all ages together during the holiday season.
The sellout crowds and social media buzz the tournament has accumulated in the years since speaks for itself, but there are smaller moments that really stand out to me. It’s watching the kids take free throws and three point attempts during breaks in the games for prizes. It’s the cheerleaders energizing a crowd of hundreds like only they can. And it’s the matchups that you can only see during this tournament. Teams that normally don’t face each other getting to square off for bragging rights. That’s what really makes this Harry Johnson Holiday Classic so special.
My son Kingston looks forward to attending for months leading up to the tournament. It has become a post-Christmas tradition for us. To those reading this, I hope it will become a tradition for you, as well. Even if you don’t love basketball, I invite you to come out. We’ll have fun, I promise.
On a side note, I hope each of you has had a healthy and prosperous 2022. May you be blessed this Christmas season and into the new year. Take care. -LV
Reviving a Classic
