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Heroes take center stage at Gus Macker tournament
By John bassetti
YOUNGSTOWN
Youngstown Christian has conducted a Gus Macker 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament only once, but the innovation surrounding a second event has already made an impression with the founder, Scott McNeal.
This year’s tournament, which runs July 31-Aug. 1 at the Covelli Centre parking lot, will feature a Heroes Division for military men and women, police and firefighters.
“He was so excited that he’s going to take this concept that we thought of and bring it nationally to all the tournaments,” Youngstown Christian School president Mike Pecchia said.
The school’s idea to honor community heroes struck McNeal as a worthy addition to his tournament, which has been held outdoors during summers for 36 years.
In 1984, McNeal conceived the idea with 18 friends on his parents’ driveway in Michigan. It has since grown to include more than 75 cities, 200,000 players and 1.7 million spectators each year.
Before returning in 2009 after a decade-long absence in the Valley, the local 3-on-3 was held in Sharon.
Thanks to Youngstown Christian’s organizing committee, the local event will have a “Hoops for Heroes” twist. Mike Pecchia said it was the brainchild of his brother, Mark, and a friend.
It may be such a natural development that, in another few years, players and spectators couldn’t imagine a Gus Macker without it.
According to a press release from Prodigal Media’s Jamie Mash, McNeal said that he loves the idea so much that he’s sending the tournament’s coveted Dream Court to Youngstown specifically for the Heroes Division. The elaborate court — which is only installed at two tournament sites a weekend — will be decked out in red, white and blue. Other special treatment is accorded Dream Court players.
“I’ve always wanted to find the next niche for the Dream Court idea and this makes sense,” McNeal said through the release.
Mike Pecchia feels that introduction of the Heroes Division is just the latest in a string of “firsts” for the Mahoning Valley.
“Youngstown has been making news for several firsts — Chevy Cruze and Tour of the Valley’s carbon-neutral nature — and our Gus Macker is doing the same,” he said. “It’s a way of giving back and honoring local men and women who sacrifice and protect us.”
Local representatives of the police and military, Sgt. Chuck Swanson and Staff Sgt. Michael Thompson, respectively, had an official sign-up for their teams to mark the historic moment.
Swanson participated in Police Olympics competition in the past. The other three players on his four-man officer team have yet to be determined.
Thompson, stationed at the U.S. Army recruiting office in Boardman, is part of organizing committee.
He previously participated in Mackers in Chillicothe, Zanesville, Newark and Columbus before Youngstown last year.
“As a soldier, it’s an honor to play in the Heroes Division. It means a great deal to me to be honored and represent the soldiers, sailors, airmen from the local area. I already told Dolph [Carroll, Youngstown Christian’s boys basketball coach] at one of our meetings that they can just go ahead and put ‘Army Strong’ on the first-place trophy,” he said.
Covelli’s Eric Ryan welcomed the Macker’s business and its community stimulation.
“We’re a quality-of-life venue and the tournament certainly adds the quality of life to our Valley,” he said.
Mike Pecchia said that McNeal even permitted Youngstown Christian to alter the Macker logo to reflect the red, white and blue and stars and stripes of the Heroes Division.
“It’s the same Macker Man, but we’ve been given the liberty to alter it a little,” said Pecchia.