—
The Westside Shootout has long been considered not only a basketball tournament, but also a chance for friends to gather and catch up on each other’s lives.
The men who play in the event grew up watching their fathers, uncles and family friends competing for the right to claim they were
Westside Shootout winners. Competitors range from recent high school graduates to 50-somethings, all with that very same goal.
The 2012 Westside Shootout, the 39th time the event will be played, will be held July 7 at GO Ministries (the building that used to be Thurgood Marshall Elementary) on Station Avenue.
The tournament, held since the late 1970s, has undergone a change of venue. Up until recently, the tournament had been held at the outdoor court on the grounds where West Junior High once stood.
Each team will be allowed to carry six men, allowing for one substitute. Cost is $120 per team or $20 per man. Organizers are looking to get 14 teams. Signups can be done at Outdoor Army/Navy Store, Brad’s Delicatessen, Betty’s Beauty Supply and Hang Suite Party Center.
Play will begin at 8 a.m. Event officials will be licensed.
In recent years, teams were drafted the morning of the event. This year, there will be no draft. Competitors, themselves, will decide who will play on each team before they sign up.
Ettinger is a freelance writer from Ashtabula.
Click here to subscribe to The Star Beacon print edition.
Click here to subscribe to The Star Beacon replica edition.
