Hooplandia intern, Anthony Ardolino, and Director of Sales and Sponsorship, Tim Garstka, represented the Northeast’s Ultimate 3x3 Basketball Festival + Tourney at the Pioneer Valley Tip-off (PVTO) Classic, December 12-13.
The PVTO is a high school basketball showcase that invites teams from across the region to step up to the court and show off their skills. Much like our very own Friday Night Hooptacular during tournament weekend at Hooplandia, this is a great place to witness local rivalries in a heated showdown. The event is run by students for students; it is coordinated by the McCormack Student Leaders Club from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and hosted in the Mullins Center on campus.
The McCormack Student Leaders Club is the premier student-run organization for the Mark H. McCormack Department of Sport Management at the university. This organization is for aspiring sports industry professionals and aims to empower these students through hands-on experience, industry connections and leadership development. They host high-profile guest speakers and organize experiential learning opportunities and sports tournaments, including the PVTO Classic.
The event’s executive directors, Jack Bates and Lucas Wildrick, spoke with our Hoop Scoop writer about the success of this year’s PVTO.
Bates said, “What stood out most about this year’s Pioneer Valley Tip-off was how smoothly the entire weekend ran and the overall quality of the experience for everyone involved. As a completely student-run event, our team was able to deliver a high-level experience, not only to the student athletes, but for our staff and partners, as well.”
Wildrick said, “Hosting ten high school matchups in a college arena allowed us to create a meaningful and energetic atmosphere for the local communities supporting each school. The collaboration between our staff, officials, venue partners and participating schools enables us to focus on the details that matter: strong game operations, an engaging fan experience and a showcase of talent from across the Pioneer Valley. This was a significant step forward for the classic and it set a high standard for the event’s future.”
Ardolino and Garstka spoke to attendees about the competitive gameplay and history of Hooplandia and distributed swag from the tourney. When asked about the PVTO, Garstka said, “I want to offer a huge ‘thank you’ to UMass Amherst’s McCormack Student Leaders for this awesome event. I am also grateful to UMass Sports Management Professor Emily Must and Trooper Thomas Sullivan, a UMass Isenberg School of Management alumni and leader in the basketball local community.”
PVTO typically tips off as high school basketball teams are just beginning their seasons. When the fun is done for the semester, know that there are more ways to play and perfect your craft in the post-season, including at Hooplandia, June 19-21.