Dear Coach:
On behalf of the Acton-Boxborough athletic community, we are pleased to welcome you and your team to our 23rd annual February invitational basketball tournament. We genuinely hope that you find this to be one of the more well run events that you participate in. We have been working hard to ensure this happens. We also thank you and your team for supporting this event and the Acton-Boxborough program.
Please review your game schedule carefully and pay close attention to game location. At various points during the event, we will be using three different gyms and it is possible that each of your games are in a different gym. The main entrances to the schools will be locked most of the time and when unlocked, we have been asked not to use them. Please pass the driving directions along to your parents so they know where to park and which door to use for gym access.
Please understand we are not able to make any schedule changes – at this point, it is very difficult for us to try to accommodate those. We did everything we could with what you told us about on your registration form for schedule conflicts. As a reminder, any team that forfeits or no shows a game may disqualify their entire town from participation in this tournament next year.
We purposely took fewer teams this year to make the schedule a little more accommodating. Doing so helped us eliminate the very late games on weeknights and a significant number of weekday afternoon games.
At each game, we will provide two IAABO certified officials and a scoreboard operator. Each team however should provide their own scorebook and a score keeper. We ask that your score keeper sit at the scorer’s table at midcourt (not in the bleachers or on your bench with you). We also remind you that scorekeepers are technically part of the officiating team.
There will be a daily admission fee of $2.00 for adults and $1.00 for students who attend the tournament as spectators. The only people who are permitted to enter without paying are uniformed players and the head coach and one assistant coach that were submitted on your registration form. We have instructed our admissions table staff that no more than two coaches per team my bypass paying the daily admission fee.
If you ordered t-shirts for your team, they will be in a bag with your name on it at the admissions table where your first game is being played. Please make sure you pick those up at the correct admissions table before your first game.
We suggest you restock your medical kit with any medical supplies you feel you may need while at the tournament. We may not have medical supplies or instant ice packs readily available in the gym.
Again, please throw some instant ice packs in your game bag.
We’re crossing our fingers for good weather. It is February though and the way things have gone this winter, who knows what we’ll face. In the event of inclement weather, we generally try to play games unless the schools tell us we cannot.
Each evening after games are completed, we will email out the game scores from that day. The email will go to the email you submitted with your team registration. If you want any other email addresses added to the distribution list, just let us know.
Finally, the tournament committee wishes to be clear with everyone that as always, we are holding guests to the highest expectations of good behavior. General poor sportsmanship and/or verbal abuse of officials or opposing teams by coaches, players, or spectators will not be tolerated. Anyone asked to leave the gym by a referee or tournament official is prohibited from reentering the school campus for the remainder of the event. If you feel there is anyone associated with your team who may have a problem conforming to what we consider acceptable behavior, you should urge him/her to stay at home.
If you have any questions or problems during the tournament, please let us know. We look forward to seeing you all in person.
Dee Biggs, David Poplyk, Josh Hammer, Bob Jackson, Sean O’Sullivan, and Ben Smith
~ 2020 Tournament Directors ~