The Steel City Slam Basketball Club has announced it will host the second Ontario Provincial Basketball Championships in Sault Ste. Marie between May 27 and May 29.
According to the press release, 50 teams from Ontario will join the U-15 Boys Provincial Championships, along with two local Slam Teams. The press release also says that the U-15 Boys’ championships are one of the biggest competitions that Ontario basketball holds each year.
For more information read the release below:
The Steel City Slam Basketball Club is set to host the second Ontario Provincial Basketball Championships in Sault Ste. Marie this upcoming weekend, from May 27 to May 29.
The city was buzzing three weeks ago when the U-15 girls Ontario Provincial Basketball Championships were held in Sault Ste. Marie. Sixteen teams from across Ontario attended.
This upcoming weekend, the Sault will see something they haven’t seen before in basketball. Fifty teams from across Ontario will participate in the U-15 Boys Provincial Championships, including two local Slam Teams. The U-15 Boys’ championships are one of the biggest tournaments Ontario basketball hosts each year. And why is the Sault hosting?
Well, Steel City Slam has hosted prior provincial championships before the two-year pause due to COVID-19. Behind the scenes, members of the Steel City Slam basketball club worked with tourism in Sault Ste. Marie to secure both championships. In short, the combination of tourism, members of the Steel City Slam basketball club, the club's history, and most importantly, our community sealed the deal.
The club, rebranded in 2013 from the Sault Sharks, is very passionate about the North, and specifically our community. The club coaches and stakeholders instill a bigger vision than just basketball. Basketball is a platform to teach “life lessons through sport.”
Bringing championships like this to the community serves multiple purposes:
- In most sports, teams have to travel out of town to participate. This event provides parents, grandparents, friends and others with the opportunity to see our kids play in our beautiful community.
- Out-of-town teams, who otherwise may not visit the Sault, will now be treated to everything we have to offer; tremendous restaurants, our hospitality, our first-class facilities, and a community that is passionate about their sports. Many families will return during their own time for family vacations as they are exposed to our gifted region.
- With 50 teams and their families attending, our community will be hosting a few thousand visitors, which will be a positive boost for local businesses.
“We are ecstatic to be welcoming sports tournaments back to our community,” said Alana Kenopic, manager of tourism and travel.
“It’s no surprise that the Ontario Basketball Association is leading the charge as athletes, families, and spectators safely re-enter our facilities to compete at the provincial level. These championships give hundreds of youth athletes the opportunity to play against their peers in Northern Ontario with a significant benefit to our hoteliers, attractions and restaurants,” Kenopic added.
Volunteers/helpers needed
We are looking to secure a few more scorers/timers for the games. If you have scored or timed high school basketball games or know the game, please e-mail at [email protected].
It truly does take a community to run an event of this nature, and we thank all of those who helped out with the girls' U-15 championships. We look forward to making this event as successful as the girls’ event was a few weeks ago. The team's common message was that the restaurants were excellent, the facilities were top-notch, and the area was beautiful with lots of things to do, especially outdoors.
Local Businesses Looking to support
If you think your business can help support/sponsor in any way, please feel free to e-mail at [email protected], and someone will get back to you. There are many ways to partner with us to support the teams coming to the community this weekend.