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TRYON—This summer, Gather Community is back with two exciting events at Harmon Field. The annual Hoopz 3v3 basketball tournament will kick off at 7 p.m. on August 3, followed by the family-friendly Glow Night event on August 10 at 8 p.m.

These free events are part of Gather Community’s mission to help young people achieve wholeness through sports, work, and education. This summer marks the fourth year of these fun-filled gatherings.

Executive Director Steve Martinez of Gather Community reflects on the growth and success of these events over the years.

“Students and families who have participated over the years have grown with us,” says Martinez. “We are thrilled to see former students graduating from high school, and this has driven us to expand the Hoopz basketball tournament to include a college bracket. The introduction of the college bracket last year was a great success, drawing participants from all over the area, including Warren Wilson College.”

Martinez shared a particularly inspiring story about the program’s successful impact on the Polk County basketball program. 

“When we started the program at the open-air gym at Harmon, we had a great turnout of players and spectators. Unbeknownst to us, one of the spectators was our local high school basketball coach, who was there to scout and recruit new talent to grow the Polk County basketball program,” he says. “It was encouraging to learn that this program has become a platform for fostering positive growth in our community.”

Martinez highlighted that Hoopz and Glow Night are completely free, with no strings attached for families considering attending. Hoopz offers a 3v3 basketball tournament with brackets for middle school, high school, and college students, while Glow Night provides a range of fun activities such as a free raffle, Kona Ice, glow-in-the-dark frisbee golf, and more. All families need to do is register.

The program has gained popularity and received increased support from individual and business sponsors. Martinez expressed gratitude for the new sponsors’ covering the costs of each event this summer.

Edney Orthodontics, Big Brothers Big Sisters of WNC, Blue Line Consulting LLC, Polk County Parks and Recreation, and Chasing Light & Company Photography are partners for this summer’s activities.

To sign up or volunteer for the Hoopz event, email Steve Martinez at stevem@gatherasaone.org.