Gatlinburg Basketball Tournaments to Benefit Pat Summitt and Jim Valvano Foundations
Few people have had as profound an impact on college basketball as Pat Summitt and Jim Valvano. These legendary coaches were renowned not only for their success on the court but also for their inspirational leadership and unrelenting positivity. In the coming months, Rocky Top Sports World and the Girls Basketball Association (GBA) will host two youth basketball tournaments that will honor Summitt and Valvano while raising money for their respective foundations.
Tennessee Legend Classic
The Tennessee Legend Classic, which benefits The Pat Summitt Foundation, will be held at Rocky Top Sports World in Gatlinburg, TN on April 13 – 15, 2018. The tournament is open to girls basketball teams in 4th – 11th grade.
If enough teams sign up, there will be two divisions: a Gold Division (which will include national caliber teams) and a Silver Division (which will not include national caliber teams). Each team that participates is guaranteed at least three games.
The entry fee for the Tennessee Legend Classic is $350 per team. To sign up for the tournament, order team meals, and book lodging, visit our Tournament Calendar and scroll down to April 13.
The proceeds from the Tennessee Legend Classic will go to the Pat Summitt Foundation, an organization founded by Coach Summitt soon after her Alzheimer’s diagnosis in 2011. The foundation awards grants to nonprofits that conduct research for a cure, provide support for patients and caregivers, and promote education and awareness of Alzheimer’s disease.
Pat Summitt was the head coach of the University of Tennessee Lady Vols basketball team from 1974 – 2012. With 1,098 career wins during her 38 seasons with the Lady Vols (and eight NCAA championships), Summitt is the all-time winningest coach in college basketball history for both men’s and women’s teams. Summit coached the U.S. women’s basketball team to a gold medal in the 1984 Olympics and received both the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Arthur Ashe Courage Award in 2012.
Gatlinburg Jimmy V Classic
The Gatlinburg Jimmy V Classic will be held on June 30 – July 1, 2018 at Rocky Top Sports World. This fun basketball tournament is open to both boys and girls in 4th – 11th grade. There will be three divisions based on ability level and each team is guaranteed a three-game minimum.
The entry fee for the Jimmy V Classic is $295 per team. To register for the event, request team meals, and book lodging, head over to our Tournament Calendar and navigate to June 30.
The money raised from the tournament will benefit The V Foundation, which was founded by ESPN and college basketball coach Jim “Jimmy V” Valvano. Since it launched in 1993, the V Foundation has awarded over $200 million in research grants in pursuit of its mission: “victory over cancer.”
Jim Valvano coached for multiple teams but is most well known for leading North Carolina State University to an unlikely victory in the 1983 National Championship against the Houston Cougars. After his coaching career, Valvano became a celebrated broadcaster for ESPN and ABC Sports. His inspirational speech at the 1993 ESPY Awards, delivered less than two months before his untimely death from cancer, has become legendary for its heartfelt advice and famous refrain, “don’t give up…don’t ever give up!”
About Rocky Top Sports World
Situated minutes away from the heart of Gatlinburg, TN, Rocky Top Sports World is one of the top tournament destinations in the United States. With six basketball courts, 12 volleyball courts, seven fields, team rooms, and an onsite grill, our 80-acre athletic complex has everything you need for an amazing sports event. To learn more about everything Rocky Top Sports World has to offer, visit our Facilities page!
