While St. Clair's men's and women's varsity basketball squads played some serious ball this weekend, there was another tournament going on that was equally exhilarating - and exhausting.
Hoopin' Around the Clock returned this year to much fanfare, as teams of staff, students and friends, community members and club teams came out for some pick-up basketball for a worthy cause.
The event kicked off Friday afternoon and games were played for 29 consecutive hours, into Saturday evening at the College's SportsPlex and Classic Gym.
About 325 participants from 35 teams played over the course of the event, which is organized by HighRise Basketball.
"It's a chance to just get out and play," said Reid Innes, who launched HighRise Basketball with Jimmy Parsons in 2000 to provide youth with opportunities to reach their full potential in the game of basketball and beyond. "In this tournament, age doesn't matter. Skill-level doesn't matter. Scores don't matter. All we care about is that people have fun, build camaraderie, and help the community."
While organizers are still waiting on a few final contributions, Innes said they've thus far managed to raise a little more than $25,000.
The tournament has been running since 2016 and in that time, has raised more than $200,000, which is fed directly back into the community.
This year's beneficiaries include: The Bridge - Leamington Youth Resource Centre, The Hospice of Windsor and Essex County, Little Hands Kids for a Cause, Neighbourhood Charitable Alliance, St. Clair Saints Athlete Sponsorship, Windsor Cancer Centre Foundation Patient Assistance Fund, and Windsor Pinoy Athletics.
"This event is only successful because of community and staff buy-in. We'd like to express a special thank you to every single person who laced up their shoes and shot some hoops this weekend, because without you, there is no impact," said Innes.
"Basketball on its own is a lot of fun, and raising money for community groups is rewarding. Hoopin' Around the Clock is our way of accomplishing both."
St. Clair College staff and students at the annual Hoopin' Around the Clock fundraiser in the Classic Gym at Main Windsor Campus on Nov. 22, 2024. (Reid Innes/St. Clair College)
