PLYMOUTH – Ancilla head basketball coach Aaron Butcher took over the Chargers several years ago and on his first trip to the Marshall County Blueberry Festival felt something was strangely missing.
“We saw volleyball and cornhole and baseball and softball but there was no basketball,” he said. “I thought that was a strange for a town like Plymouth and the state of Indiana so we decided to fix that.”
Butcher and the Chargers revived the three on three basketball tournament to the festival two years ago and has been pleased with its reception. Three on three basketball has been gaining quite a following around the world which has led to it’s inclusion in the coming summer Olympics and the foundation of a professional league featuring many former NBA stars that began play this summer.
The Blueberry Festival tournament has grown in numbers each year.
“I think we’ve had a very positive response for the first two years,” said Butcher. “It’s grown from the first year. We’ve had 20 to 25 teams each year but there’s always room for more. We want to keep growing and hopefully make this into a big tournament.”
The tournament is open to any boys or girls team in three different divisions 10 and under, 11 to 15 years old and 16 and up. While none of his players compete in the tournament, they do take part sharing score keeping and officiating duties.
“They get another point of view officiating,” said Butcher. “They get a chance to see it from the other side and that’s not a bad thing.”
Tournament cost is $75 per team and the tournament is played on the north courts in Centennial Park on Sunday September 3.
“It’s really a great location to have it right there in the middle of the rides and everything so you can play go check out the Festival, get some food or something and come back to the courts.”
You can print off an entry form online at http://blueberryfestival.org/forms/2017/3-on-3_Basketball-2017.pdf
