GRANTHAM — Third-through sixth-grade girls will be hitting the hardwood this weekend to hoop for a good cause as part of this Saturday’s Upper Valley Tip Off Jamboree at the Grantham Village School.
The event is hosted by Noble Hoops, a local youth basketball program founded by Jacob Noble, which also has a non-profit wing — the Noble Hoops Foundation, which, its website says, is “dedicated to making sure that every kid — regardless of background or financial situation — has access to the game of basketball.”
As part of the jamboree, three programs, each fielding a third- and fourth-grade team and a fifth- and sixth-grade team, will battle it out on the court, all while raising money for the Grantham Village School.
“They (AAU tournaments) charge ridiculous amounts — it’s like $20 per person to get in to watch your kid play basketball, so our program at Noble Hoops, we’re trying to buck that trend,” said Noble.
“Instead of charging people for this event, we’re just simply asking for donations — you can not give anything, or you can give a million dollars — it’s really up to the people (to decide) what they want to pull out of their pockets and such to give,” he added.
While Noble indicated that the money being raised for the school is not going to a specific cause or project, the organization is doing something to give back for allowing the event to take place there.
Although Noble acknowledged that AAU tournaments have their place — at this level, it is just about getting the kids more in-game time on the court.
“These games we have on Saturday, there’s no trophy, there’s going to be results obviously, but there’s no standings, there’s no trophy, there’s no t-shirt that says you’re the champion,” he said.
Adding: “It’s to get some games, to have a positive atmosphere… we’re trying to get a friendly, positive atmosphere, especially for youth girls sports, which needs it the most.”
Looking ahead, there could be more jamborees like this coming down the pike.
“Down the road, trust me, I’d like to figure out specific things to raise funds for to help improve basketball opportunities around the area,” Noble said.
To learn more about the event, which is set for a 9 a.m. tip off, and to donate, visit https://www.noblehoops.com/jamboree.
Donations to support the Grantham Village School will be accepted until the end of the day on Saturday.
