The charity tournament featuring hundreds of girls ages 8 to 18 will take place on May 6 and May 7.
There will be a lot of bounce in their steps and more hoops made than you can imagine as hundred of girls, ages 8 to 18, gather in the Haddonfield area May 6 through 7 for the Lions Club’s annual “Lizzy Haddon” basketball tournament.
The girls, representing a number of teams from the tri-state area, will play at least four games each over two days for lots of fun — as grandparents, moms and dads, siblings and friends watch them perform their hoops magic while having a ball.
The Haddonfield Lions Club, noteworthy for its charitable endeavors involving the blind, visually disabled and the community will be beneficiaries. All money raised, beyond expenses to rent gyms and pay referees, goes directly to Lions Club charitable activities. Lions Club members and others will be at about 10 area venues to play hosts, from 8 AM-6 PM each day. Refreshments will be available.
“The Lions Club has been hosting this event since 2005,” said Dr. Chris Clancey, a club director. “We’ve had one successful year after another. Last year we had 95+ teams with almost 1,000 girls participating, and we hope to match that or do even better this year.”
Clancey said that Lions Club, through this event, has raised more than $200,000 in the past decade for charity. She also said that an added bonus is that the “tournament benefits Haddonfield’s business district, bringing some 3,000 people to the area for shopping and dining last year.”
Each player in the event will receive a free goody bag, which contains a shirt and coupons, compliments of local merchants and businesses. The coupons can be taken to any sponsor for special discounts.
Each team will have a schedule for each of their four games, which will be delivered to coaches in advance. Games will be scheduled to match teams with girls in the same age and grade categories, and same ability levels, so they can be competitive.
“It has been a great event to bring people together for fun and a common cause over the years and the relationships built have done enormous good for the kids and their families,” Clancey said.
