Pierce College's The Pioneer - Vol. 51, Issue 1

14 / SPORTS
Sept. 27, 2017 / Vol. 51, Issue 1
piercepioneernews.com FEATURES / 15
COMMUNITY TOURNAMENT GIVES
BACK TO PIERCE
Local basketball programs fundraise for the women’s basketball team
BY JUSTIN NGO
Contributing Writer
WASHINGTON
STATE FAIR
A nighttime view of some
of the rides offered this year
THE FIRST INTRAMURAL
TOURNAMENT debuted Sept. 9-10 and
was organized by Ionna Price, Pierce
women’s basketball assistant coach and
founder of Hardwork Beats Talent.
Price and her associates first began
working with Hardwork Beats Talent in
Tacoma’s Hilltop nearly six months ago.
Price and others worked with youths
of all ages from the Tacoma School
District to form community basketball
teams. Practices were held Tuesdays and
Thursdays, with games on Saturdays and
Sundays.
‘’We needed something that was in
Tacoma that involved the youths and
community to do something together,”
Price said, about the motivation
behind Hardwork Beats Talent and the
“IT’S GOOD FOR THE
COMMUNITY GETTING
TOGETHER AND A GREAT
OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY
BASKETBALL.”
- JEROME SMITH
tournament.
Social media platforms such as
Facebook and Instagram were used to
develop the tournament by using the
Raiders Athletic page and local hashtags.
Many of the team’s coaches and parents
such as NW Panthers, COB Magic,
Supreme, Kristin Tebb and coach of girl’s
community basketball Shonda Carrier
caught word either through association
with Hardwork Beats Talent or Facebook
advertisement.
Volunteer efforts played a large role in
the tournament. Pierce women’s basketball
The community event raised $900
for the basketball program.
team helped run the front desk of the event
and the concessions.
“I wanted to help raise money for gear
and to get involved with the community,”
Pierce freshman Sydney Dewitt, who is
studying criminal justice said, about why
she volunteered.
At least 26 teams and 100 players
participated in the event.
With the community support, the
Pierce women’s basketball program was
able to raise money for new equipment
and gear from the proceeds.
“We raised about $900 which will go
towards meals and extra expenses,” Price
said.
Raiders women’s basketball coach
Ariassa Wilson said, about how the
tournament was structured, “The teams
are organized through six divisions and
the games itself work within a double
elimination bracket. Once you lose two
rounds, you’re out of the game.”
The winners of each division won
championship shirts, as well as bragging
rights.
The players and coaches were hyped
up for the tournament and were rallying
together by the sidelines. The parents that
attended the event contributed through
one way or another.
Parent Lara Carter said, “It’s fun getting
Raider Athletics Flickr/Courtesy Photo
the kids out there in a new environment,
especially one like Pierce College. This is
Cale’s first 3-on-3 game today.”
The tournament used all four courts of
the gym and audience seats were packed
with family and friends.
The tournament provided an array of
experience and expectations for each
individual.
Alize Harness, Pierce sophomore who
is studying early childhood education,
volunteered at a booth, said, “It’s great
seeing a lot of the community get together
and play basketball.”
This local tournament wasn’t as
competitive as seasonal basketball, but that
doesn’t diminish the importance of this
fundraiser. Most of the basketball teams
were in the offseason.
Competitor Jerome Smith said, “It’s good
for the community getting together and a
great opportunity to play basketball.”
Carrier said, “This basketball
tournament will prepare and help these
girls for future tournaments and games.”
Winners of the tournament are as
follows: fifth- and sixth-grade teams: Team
HD; girls’ seventh- and eighth-grade:
Team JMMS; boys’ seventh- and eighthgrade:
Hardwork Beats Talent; high school:
Rising Stars, women’s: The Ballers and
men’s: The Kings.
STARSHIP 2000
FERRIS WHEEL
CLIFF HANGER
FERRIS WHEEL
INFERNO
KAMIKAZE
Photos by Debbie Denbrook/Staff Photo