23rd Annual Casper Youth Basketball Tourney Hits Town This Weekend

If you are wondering why every Hotel in Casper is full and local restaurants and shopping are busier than ever this weekend, that is because the Casper Youth Basketball Tournament is hitting town! The City of Casper Recreation Division is hosting the 23rd Annual Casper Youth Basketball Tournament on Saturday, March 16 and Sunday, March 17, 2013 at nearly every available gym in Casper. 

Facilities that will be used over the two day tournament are: the Casper Recreation Center, Natrona County High School, Kelly Walsh High School, CY Middle School, Dean Morgan Middle School, Centennial Middle School, Frontier Middle School, Casper College, and the Boys and Girls Club.

This is the largest basketball tournament in the State with 179 teams and nearly 1800 boys and girls in the 4th through 8th grades competing in 18 different divisions. Each team is guaranteed a minimum of 3 games.  The field includes 20 teams from Casper and 159 teams from Colorado, Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Wyoming.

Over the two day basketball extravaganza, over 300 games will be played using seventeen different courts at the above gym locations.  Games are scheduled for 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. on Saturday and 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. at most locations on Sunday.  The public is encouraged to come out and support their favorite teams.  An all-tournament pass good for the entire weekend at all sites costs $5 with children under 12 being admitted free. All proceeds generated from this tournament benefit the Community Recreation Foundation to provide scholarships and free recreational programs for youth and seniors in Casper.

Some of the tournament highlights for participants include a Friday evening free throw contest and a free pool party on Saturday evening at the Casper Family Aquatics Center.  This two day event should directly impact the Casper economy with over 2 million dollars spent on hotel rooms, meals, shopping, transportation and other areas.  For more information please call the Casper Recreation Division at 235-8383. Tournament schedules are available at www.crlasports.com.