Childress Rotary hosting first annual Holiday Invitational Basketball Tournament
CHILDRESS – The Childress Rotary Club’s first annual Holiday Invitational Basketball Tournament is underway at the Childress High School Bobcat Den.
With 22 teams, it is divided into a girls tournament and a boys tournament, said Childress Rotary Club President Sarah Mills. Teams will play from Thursday, Dec. 8 through Saturday, Dec. 10.
“Childress Rotary decided last year we wanted to take on a new project,” Mills explained. Because of the COVID pandemic, the Greenbelt Bowl hasn’t happened the last several years. “We decided it was best for our organization to take on something new to replace that.”
Mills said they worked with Coach Wayne Parker and Coach Shannon Fisher to arrange the teams. The girls teams consist of the Childress Lady Cats, Spearman Lynxettes, Denver City Fillies, Valley Lady Patriots, Wellington Lady Rockets, Petrolia Lady Pirates, Holliday Lady Eagles, Canadian Lady Cats and City View Lady Mustangs.
The boys team consists of the Childress Bobcats, Seymour Panthers, Levelland Lobos, Holliday Eagles, Pampa Harvesters, Lorenzo Hornets, City View Mustangs, Floydada Whirlwinds, Gruver Greyhounds, Denver City Mustangs, Clarendon Broncos, Spearman Lynx and West Plains Wolves.
“We have some state ranked teams that are playing here this weekend,” she said.
Tickets are sold at the main entrance to the gym. Tournament passes are $15, adult day passes are $7 and student day passes are $3.
While the Holiday Invitational Basketball Tournament is a fundraiser, Mills said the Childress Rotary Club is providing discounted hotel rooms and a free meal a day for the teams. This is possible because of local sponsorships.
Pak-A-Sak is the co-sponsor and donated $5,000. K3 Towing, King Country Trailer and First United Bank donated $1,500. Wellington State Bank, Childress Regional Medical Center, City of Childress, Childress Chamber of Commerce, Legacy Insurance Group, Childress Main Street, Ware Motors and InterBank donated $1,000.
Childress Municipal Development District, Brandon Nix’s Texas Farm Bureau Insurance, McDonald’s and Clarendon College donated $500. Reagan Garrison’s Farmers Insurance, Edward Jones, Silas Ragsdale’s State Farm, Kimley Horn, Kevin G. Keys DDS Family Dentistry, Mark Engle’s Cornerstone Insurance Agency, Cherry Electric and Foster, Lambert & Foard, LLC donated $250.
