hoops.

2018 Spokesman Review image

The last time we talked basketball, we were busy trying to convince Jimmy Kimmel we exist. This Saturday, we’re anticipating another strong beat of Spokane’s basketball pulse as Hoopfest tips off downtown.

Hoopfest is in our blood in Spokane. We all played in the elementary school brackets. We made the team t-shirts. We’ve all sweated in the blistering heat on the downtown pavement. Yes, Hoopfest is as Spokane as it gets, just like drive-through coffee and being asked which suburb of Seattle we’re closest to.

4 Reasons Hoopfest is like Catholic Charities

At Catholic Charities, we’re excited about this weekend’s event in our downtown neighborhood because so much of what makes Hoopfest great is also at the heart of Catholic Charities.

1. Storied history

Hoopfest has been nothing but net for 30 years. What started as a regional tournament to satisfy Spokane’s appetite for basketball has grown to an international festival that doubles the size of Spokane for the weekend, drawing NBA greats, Gonzaga standouts and Olympic-caliber athletes.

Catholic Charities started more than a century ago to meet the need for food and clothing in our communities. It has grown to serve 70,000 people in our Eastern Washington region.

2. Serving Everybody

Everybody has a place at Hoopfest. Elite players in the adult, varsity and freshman brackets will bring the impressive moves. There’s a bracket for adults, high schoolers and elementary school youth. You can play as a family or watch the Special Olympics division. And if you want to see the most incredible athleticism of the event, you can stop by the wheelchair division.

Catholic Charities has enjoyed similar success as an organization by creating space for everyone. Our counseling department serves everyone regardless of their ability to pay. We build housing for seniors, veterans, farmworkers and chronically homeless families.

3. Leaning into the Cutting-Edge

If you’ve got a few hours Friday afternoon, you’ve got to check out the 3x3 World Invitational. Hoopfest is all about 3on3 basketball, but 3x3 is a special category of the sport played with a 10-minute games with a 12-second shot clock and blaring music in the background. This evolution of the sport is making a bid for inclusion in the Olympics, and the teams playing will be Olympic hopefuls.

Similarly, Catholic Charities brings our clients the newest approaches. Whether it’s Housing First, Healthy Housing, Circle of Security Parenting, Rising Strong or the new therapies in our Counseling department, we make sure our clients get the latest and greatest service.

4. Only the Best Play Here

This year, Hoopfest will feature not only the region’s best, but the nation’s greatest players. Events will include Gonzaga greats Kelly Olnyk, Steven Gray, David Pendergraft and Heather Bowman.

Catholic Charities attracts top talent to our organization. Our social work professionals have years of experience helping clients meet their goals. Our directors and executives come from international charitable organizations, city government and from organizations they started. They stay on top of industry trends and bring the most compassionate care to our clients.

Catholic Charities is proud that Hoopfest is part of our city. We’ll see you on the streets!