Friday, December 30, 2016

EHS Alumni Basketball - How We Create a Lasting Impact




With the 2016 EHS Alumni Tournament only hours away, I thought it would be appropriate to reach out and provide a update for the beneficiary organization of our annual tournament donations/proceeds.  As has been the case the last several years, tonight we will ask our alums to provide a donation to support the Everett AAU youth basketball program as part of the tournament registration.  Last year, our alumni group was able to raise around $750 to support this youth program, and it's worth providing the alumni base and the greater community with an update on how these proceeds are helping make a tangible impact on the lives of our young players.


The 2015-16 season was a time of steady improvement for all program teams.  On the boys side, our 6th and 7th grade boys teams had highly successful campaigns, and qualified for the WesCo postseason tournament, an event which is reserved for the top-placing teams in the 20-team league.  On the girls side, both the 5th and 6th grade teams had winning records in the Cascade League, with the 6th graders beating Meadowdale to win their postseason tournament (picture at right)!  That same team also traveled to Wenatchee in March, and was the top-placing feeder team in the 10-team Steve Talbot Memorial Tournament, which was a significant achievement.

During the spring and summer months, Everett AAU focused on skill development for its program players.  Weekly 90-minute skills clinics were held at Everett High School, where the primary focus was continuing to building the foundation skill base for the players.  They would routinely work through a demanding regimen of ball handling and shooting drills, and on average would get 150-200 shots up per session.  The attendance grew throughout the spring and summer, to the point where 30-40 kids were turning out on a weekly basis to work on their games.  Going into program tryouts in October, you could see the difference the clinics made – the kids were flat out better basketball players!

This trend of improvement has been palpable in the early season returns program-wide.  On the boys side, the 8th grade team is undefeated in WesCo league play, and the 7th grade team has won 2 of 3 and is in the upper half of the league standings.  The 6th grade has shown tremendous growth this season, and is competing at a higher level than last year.  The 5th grade team has lost several nail-biters to the top teams in the league, and is ready to make a move in the standings come January.  On the girls side, all program teams (5th, 6th, and 7th) have winning records and are near the top of the standings in their respective leagues.  Regardless of records, what I’m most proud of as a Program Director is how hard each of the teams compete from start to finish.  We’ve been successful in instilling a culture of competition where the kids have fallen in love with the process of getting better, and it translates to a style of play that we are proud to put on display on a weekly basis.

Achieving these outcomes is the result of a communal commitment to our kids that I’m extremely honored by.  As I’ve outlined in previous correspondence, Everett Hoop Club (the organization that runs the Everett AAU program) is registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that is committed to providing player development and personal empowerment opportunities for kids in grades 5-8 attending Everett Public Schools that will one day feed to Everett High School.  Our volunteers, financial contributors, and coaches all play an equally vital role in ensuring that our program participants receive the coaching and mentorship necessary to be successful.  The kids are learning the values of leadership, collaboration, and hard work.  By instilling these values and placing our boys and girls players on age-specific teams that compete against the best competition in the Puget Sound region, we are committed to using basketball as a conduit that not only develops their on-court abilities, but also teaches valuable life skills. 

Most importantly, Everett Hoop Club believes that all players willing to commit to our curriculum should have the opportunity to participate, regardless of any specific family’s financial hardship.  While 29 of our 80 participants are either on a full player fee scholarship or a reduced fee schedule, we are steadfast in our belief that fiscal hardships will not be a barrier for participation.   As such, the organization subsidizes player fees for families/households that do not have the means to meet the financial obligation to play. 

This continues to create an operational challenge for the organization.  While EHC creates small revenue streams through tournament game admissions, fundraising is a necessary ingredient to offsetting the cost of maintaining a quality program.  For us to continue making this experience a reality for our kids, we reach out to community members like our EHS alumni base and offer this opportunity to contribute.  As was the case last year, your contribution will go directly to Everett Hoop Club and will help provide the means to purchase uniforms and equipment, league fees, facility usage fees, player liability insurance, and other operating costs.  Most importantly, it allows us the ability to continue making positive impacts in the lives of our program participants.

To this end, we hope that all alumni participating in tonight's event would be willing to make a minimum donation of $10 to support Everett AAU.  While it might not seem like much, every bit helps our efforts to provide a viable platform for these kids to succeed.  I would also say that contributions above and beyond that amount would be greatly welcomed and appreciated!  If you have any questions about your donation, or would be interested in volunteering with our program teams or could help out in another capacity, please don't hesitate to reach out to me tonight at EHS or via email.

Looking forward to seeing everyone tonight...let's hoop!

Bobby Thompson
Class of 1996

Tuesday, December 27, 2016

The 2016 EHS Alumni Tournament is Here!

2015 Champions - The '05-'07 Crew
Come Friday night, “The Pit” will be alive with basketball activity. The fellas in their early 20s will be ready to fun & gun, while the seasoned vets will be running the four corners...

It’s time for the 2016 EHS Alumni Tournament!

Because of some unique scheduling challenges, this year’s tournament will take place Friday December 30th at 6:00pm at EHS.  If you are a former program player, you are eligible to come out and play!  As always, the Tournament serves as the annual opportunity for former Seagulls to come together and celebrate the legacy and memories of EHS basketball.  

While we'll be provided some more logistics over the next couple of days, here is some baseline information.  
  • Tournament registration will begin at 5:30pm, and the Tournament will tip off at 6:00pm.
  • The suggested minimum donation to participate is $10.  Individuals that donate $20 or more will receive a "limited edition" 2016 EHS Alumni Tournament t-shirt.  All proceeds will go towards supporting Everett Hoop Club, the organization that runs the Everett youth feeder basketball program and has over 85 program participants grades 5-8.  
  • There will be program concessions (pizza, snacks, and drinks), so please encourage family members and friends to come out and watch.
  • The EHS Alumni Tournament Afterparty will take place at the Twin Foxes Pub & Eatery (2718 Hewitt Ave.) following the tourney.  Whether your squad goes “two & out” or wins the crown, there will be drink specials for all tournament participants, as well as their friends and family.
We'll be providing more thorough updates and information in the next couple days, so stay tuned.  Looking forward to seeing everyone at "The Pit" Friday night!  If you have any questions, please contact everetthoopclub@gmail.com.

Bobby Thompson

Class of 1996