Evolution of a Tournament
Francisco de los Santos sat silently behind the scorer’s table at East Aurora High School. Arms folded and leaning forward, he quietly uttered a few words amidst a roaring crowd. “It’s been changing tremendously,” Francisco said of the District 131 girls’ basketball tournament that he began 14 years ago. In its first year, there were just two teams and a few spectators. Even the 10th annual tournament was a far cry from the 15th. Now, there are big-name corporate sponsors, hundreds of fans…. hoards of volunteers. Nike gear sits in its original packaging waiting to be awarded to tournament athletes. Young athletes refuel with PowerBar products in between games. “I got it started, but Triple Threat Mentoring keeps it rolling, he said. “Prior to Triple Threat, it was basically a one-man show; whatever I could come up with.”
For the third straight year, Triple Threat has joined forces with de los Santos to manage the tournament. The partnership has taken the event to a whole new level. It’s no longer a one-man show. With an experienced staff and dozens of dedicated volunteers, the annual tournament has expanded in size and excitement. “It was being done with a small amount of resources and not reaching its potential. Once Triple Threat came on board it’s just grown to what it should be,” de los Santos said. “Now, it’s quality stuff for the kids. It’s not only the hand-me-downs or whatever. They’re bringing out good sponsors like Nike and PowerBar® and volunteers.”
The higher exposure and excitement now surrounding the tournament is motivating 5th grade athletes to compete. Yet the impact goes further. The event challenges students to perform well academically and maintain good character: both pre-requisites for tournament eligibility. From the beginning, it was Principal de los Santo’s vision to create a system that rewarded young student-athletes for their on-the-court and off-the-court demeanor. He just couldn’t do it alone.
“That’s what the dream was,” Francisco shared with a smile. “And it’s happening right now.”
Click here to check out photos from the 5th Grade Girls’ Tournament.