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Calamus Court Challenge Success Continues
by Misty DeLashmutt
Seventy-four games, fifty- four teams in twenty three hours, that's a challenge.
But once again the organizers of the Calamus Court Challenge youth basketball tournament pulled it off, thanks to the huge volunteer effort of the community.
Although new at the helm of the annual event, Jason Alexander and Kevin Plock reported that everything went extremely smooth.
The Calamus Court Challenge is hosted by the Burwell Youth Boosters organization. The proceeds of the tournament are used to purchase athletic equipment, sponsor youth activities and camps, and to support the youth of the community.
"The success of the event is tribute to the seventeen years that the Fryzek, Grim, Snyder and Simpson families have put into the event," said Alexander. "They pioneered the event and because of their commitment and past efforts, taking over the organization was no effort. We had years of experience to guide us."
Over fifty volunteers took time off from work and busy schedules to assist in the effort, assisting in everything from concessions, gate, refereeing games, running clock and scoreboard to clean-up at the end of each session.
"The volunteer effort is what makes this tournament a success every year," said Plock. "I am so impressed by how many people freely give of their time and how easy it is to find volunteers for the event. This tournament is such an economic boost to the local economy and also showcases our schools, town and the area."
The first annual Calamus Court Challenge was held in 1993. The inaugural tournament drew 22 entries and had four divisions, 5th and 6th grade boys and girls and 7th and 8th grade boys and girls.
Today the tournament includes divisions from fourth grade through eighth and runs from Friday afternoon through Sunday night, attracting teams from as far away as Maxwell, Nebraska.
The champions of the nine divisions for the 2008 Calamus Court Challenge were:
4th Grade Boys- Stuart
5th Grade Girls- Litchfield
5th Grade Boys- Stuart
6th Grade Girls-Broken Bow
6th Grade Boys- Ord
7th Grade Girls-Burwell
(third consecutive year)
7th Grade Boys-Burwell
(third consecutive year)
8th Grade Girls-Atkinson
8th Grade Boys- Sargent
Nine Burwell teams competed in the tournament as well as two teams from Sargent and one from Taylor.
Core organizers for this year's event were Jason and Wendy Alexander, Kevin and Ruby Plock, Lin and Nancy Jeffres, Dwaine and Stephanie Birch, however many helped in a myriad of ways to put another Calamus Court Challenge in the record books.