MacSporran helps bring Classic back
After a lengthy absence, the Niagara Classic Invitational Elementary Basketball Tournament recently returned to the local sporting calendar thanks to the efforts of co-chairs John Riddell and Stephanie MacSporran.
MacSporran, a graduate of St. Theresa, Denis Morris and Brock University, had humble beginnings in her involvement with the event. It started when she began her 27-year teaching career at St. Denis.
“I started doing the work with all the flowcharts and things like that and then they lumped me into being a team manager and other things,” the Grade 7/8 teacher said. “Honestly, that is how I learned the game of basketball. Then I got involved with the St. Catharines Rebels and I was on their executive for eight years.”
She became a part of the tournament when it was a 32-team girls event with teams from the Niagara Catholic District School Board and the District School Board of Niagara.
“With all the hype and it being on TV, it was quite the event every year. Due to different circumstances we saw it stop and we felt there was a big need. We heard from high schools saying the calibre of players was dropping and not enough kids were trying out. And we wanted to give kids more playing time because in some schools that is all they have,” she said.
This year’s tournament featured 16 boys teams and 16 girls teams from the Catholic board and next year the hope is to add 16 DSBN schools to each division.
MacSporran feels bringing the tournament back achieved two goals.
“It makes the kids eager and they want to practise but also our schools feel alive now. There are people in the building after school and it is like it once was,” she said. “It is so exciting to me to see our kids playing and talking about what happened in the tournament last night. They are getting involved in sports even if it is coming out to be a spectator. That is huge to them.”
MacSporran is also involved with the Standard High School Boys Basketball Tournament.
“I do the program, I do some of the work on the website with the rosters and I chase the coaches,” she said, with a laugh. “This past year was the 60th anniversary so I helped reach out to past MVPs and a bunch of stuff like that.”
She attended the 50th Standard tournament and began helping out starting with the 51st.
“I loved the tournament and they asked me to come on board.”
She loves making a valuable contribution to both events, but the Niagara Classic is especially near and dear to her heart.
“It is fun and I see the benefits from my students, especially at this level. It works wonders with classroom management because you see them on a different level and they see you differently. You get a better rapport with kids.”
