AAHRA

Hosts - Birmingham HUD Office, AAHRAPlace - University of Alabama-Birmingham, Birmingham, AL
Dates - March 26-28, 1993
Total Teams - 20
Total Attendance - Approximately 350

Special Events - Our first tournament was single elimination beginning on Friday evening and concluding on Sunday afternoon. Our banquet was on Saturday night. Features included the presentation of colors and the Pledge of Allegiance. Opening remarks by HUD Officials and AAHRA President Doc Pearson.

Coach Rob Spivery, then head coach at University of Montevallo, gave a moving personal testimony of growing up in poverty and encouraging the youngsters by echoing "If it is to be, it is up to me."

The following Sunday morning included a chapel service by Calvin Cochran of Campus Outreach Ministries at Alabama State University. Calvin was a former standout at University of Tennessee-Chattanooga and professional basketball player.

An impromptu slam dunk and half court shootout was held that was a big hit.

Hosts - Birmingham HUD Office, AAHRA
Place - University of Alabama-Birmingham, Birmingham, AL
Dates - March 25-27, 1994
Total Teams - 24
Total Attendance - Approximately 400

Special Events - Much like the first tournament, play began on a Friday evening and concluded on Sunday afternoon. The banquet was held on Saturday night. Features included the presentation of colors and the Pledge of Allegiance. Opening remarks by HUD Officials and AAHRA President Joe Alexander. William Jackson, called Action Jackson, was our featured speaker. He was the local sports anchor on WVTM-TV in Birmingham.

The first annual slam dunk and 3 point shootout was introduced. Teams were encouraged to see various sites around Birmingham that would be educational.

Hosts - Birmingham HUD Office, AAHRA
Place - University of Alabama-Birmingham, Birmingham, AL
Dates - March 27-29, 1995
Total Teams - 26
Total Attendance - Approximately 400

Special Events - Like the first two tournaments, play began on a Friday evening and concluded on Sunday afternoon. The banquet was held on Saturday night. Features included the presentation of colors and the Pledge of Allegiance. Opening remarks by HUD Officials and AAHRA President Charles Pharr.

Mr. Oliver Robinson, former UAB All-American was the guest speaker. Mr. Robinson shared his experiences of growing up in public housing and what he felt it would take for them to become productive citizens. He stressed that each young man and woman could become a success and reach their dreams if they put their minds to it.

The annual slam dunk and 3 point shootout was once again held. Teams were encouraged to see various sites around Birmingham that would be educational.

We introduced the younger players to their own tournament in 1995. We called it the Public Housing Jr. Basketball Tournament which was held in Alex City, AL. Sixteen teams participated in this first annual event which was merged in with the main tournament in 1996.

Hosts - Florence Housing Authority, City of Florence, Birmingham HUD Office, AAHRA
Place - Florence, AL
Dates - March 24-27, 1996
Total Teams - 35
Total Attendance - Approximately 600

Special Events - Opening ceremony featured the presentation of colors, the National Anthem, Bar-B-Que dinner. Opening remarks by Mayor Eddie Frost. Motivational message by Alvin Garrett, formerly of the Washington Redskins in the NFL. A slam dunk and 3 point shootout competition was also held.

Hosts - Ozark Housing Authority, City of Ozark, Birmingham HUD Office, AAHRA
Place - Ozark, AL
Dates - March 31-April 3, 1997
Total Teams - 36
Total Attendance - Approximately 600

Special Events - Opening ceremony featured the presentation of colors and the National Anthem. Opening remarks by Mayor Bob Bunting and other officials.

The featured speaker was former University of Alabama football All-American Wilbur Jackson. He challenged the youth in attendance to set goals and strive to reach them. He also talked about courage and self-confidence and believing in yourself. He finished to a standing ovation. Prior to Wilbur’s challenge, a four minute highlight film was shown on big screen televisions to the audience. Put together and set to music by the University of Alabama, the film clip showed the best of Wilbur Jackson during his years at Alabama. Known also for his years in the NFL and winning a Super Bowl with the Washington Redskins in 1983, the young people heard from a true champion.

Mayor Bob Bunting led the players in recital of the sportsmanship oath and was presented an Olympic-style torch from members of the Ozark Housing Authority basketball team.

The annual slam dunk and 3 point shootout competition was also held.

Hosts - Mobile Housing Board, City of Mobile, Birmingham HUD Office, AAHRA
Place - Mobile, AL
Dates - March 29-April 1, 1998
Total Teams - 45
Total Attendance - Approximately 700

Special Events - Opening ceremony banquet featured the Presentation of Colors, National Anthem, Pledge of Allegiance, and special music. Opening remarks by Mayor Mike Dow. Motivational message by Judge Herman Thomas, Mobile County Court System. Special music by recording artists Protege'.

Olympic Oath to athletes presented by Alabama Sports Festival CEO Ron Creel. Lighting of the Olympic Flame complete with music and fireworks.

The annual slam dunk and 3 point shootout competition was also held. Educational tours included USS Alabama Battleship, Fort Conde and Dauphin Island Sea Lab. Drug-Free educational program presented by Mobile County District Attorney.

Hosts - Greater Gadsden Housing Authority, City of Gadsden, Birmingham HUD Office, AAHRA
Place - Gadsden, AL
Dates - March 28-31, 1999
Total Teams - 56
Total Attendance - Approximately 800

Special Events - Opening ceremony banquet was held at the Gadsden Convention Hall. Over 1,000 in attendance. Features included welcome by Mayor Steve Means, the presentation of colors, Pledge of Allegiance, special music by Litchfield Gospel Choir and local resident Rodney Parker.

Fairfield Mayor Larry Langford was the guest speaker. He challenged the youth to take the opportunities they have been given and turn them into positive results. The Olympic Oath to athletes presented by Alabama Sports Festival CEO Ron Creel and Mayor Means. A fantastic laser light show followed.

The annual slam dunk and 3 point shootout competition was also held. Educational tours included the Noccalula Falls, a 90 foot high water fall and Pioneer Village. In addition, a tour of the airport was taken with presentations by pilots and Air National Guard.

The Gadsden Police Department presented a drug education and awareness program using skits involving some of the players. The skits stressed how to ignore peer pressure, gangs and drugs.

Hosts - Eufaula Housing Authority, City of Eufaula, Birmingham HUD Office, AAHRA
Place - Eufaula, AL
Dates - March 26-30, 2000
Total Teams - 49
Total Attendance - Approximately 700

Special Events - Opening ceremony banquet was held at the Eufaula Community Center. Features included beautiful patriotic decorations, the presentation of colors, the National Anthem, and Pledge of Allegiance. Opening remarks by City Council Chairman Robert McCullar.

DJ Jones was guest speaker. DJ was the sports anchor for WRBL in Columbus, GA. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates to play baseball out of high school but turned it down for a football scholarship at the University of Georgia. That proved to be a wise decision as he played on one national championship team and in two Sugar Bowls and the Cotton Bowl. After college, DJ was drafted by the Green Bay Packers and later played with the Denver Broncos and participated in a Super Bowl.

Entertainment included Eufaula's own accomplished musician Alphonso Thomas. Alphonso is a product of public housing in Eufaula and now works as an engineer with the military. He has recorded a jazz CD and is working on another. The Olympic Oath to athletes presented by State Representative Billy Beasley. Laser light show followed.

The annual slam dunk and 3 point shootout competition was also held. Educational tours included the Eufaula Wildlife Refuge, Tom Mann’s Fish World, the Fort Gaines Georgia Lock and Dam and the Rood Creek Indian Mounds. An anti-drug program was presented by the Barbour County District Attorney's Office which included testimony's by inmates and a "Free By Choice" video presentation.

Hosts - Tuscaloosa Housing Authority, City of Tuscaloosa, Birmingham HUD Office, AAHRA
Place - Tuscaloosa, AL
Dates - March 25-29, 2001
Total Teams - 47
Total Attendance - Approximately 800

Special Events - Opening ceremony was held at the Bryant Conference Center (largest banquet ever held there). Features included the presentation of colors, the National Anthem, and Pledge of Allegiance. Opening remarks by Mayor Alvin DuPont. Motivational message by State Senator Charles Steele who spoke of how dreams can come true.

Olympic Oath to athletes presented by Senator Steele and Mayor DuPont.

The annual slam dunk and 3 point shootout competition was also held. Special entertainment included the Harlem Ambassadors. Educational tours included tour of Bryant Museum, Stillman College and campus of University of Alabama.

Hosts - Mobile Housing Board, City of Mobile, Birmingham HUD Office, AAHRA
Place - Mobile, AL
Dates - March 23-27, 2002
Total Teams - 44
Total Attendance - Approximately 700

Special Events - The tournament kicked off with special recognition and attendance at the NBDL Mobile Revelers basketball game (NBA's Developmental League). The opening ceremony was held the following night at the Adams Mark Hotel. Features included the presentation of colors, the National Anthem, and Pledge of Allegiance. Opening remarks by Executive Director Stephens Gregory and other community leaders. Motivational message by Mike Jones, Principal of B.C. Rain High School. Olympic Oath to athletes presented by Alabama Sports Festival's Marc Riker.

Educational tours included Mobile's Gulf Coast Exploreum and IMAX Theater, as well as a ride on Mobile's Riverboat.

Hosts - Mobile Housing Board, City of Mobile, Prichard Housing Authority, City of Prichard, Birmingham HUD Office, AAHRA
Place - Mobile, AL
Dates - March 22-26, 2003
Total Teams - 38
Total Attendance - Approximately 500

Special Events - The tournament kicked off on Saturday afternoon with first round games. On Sunday, teams visited the Dauphin Island SeaLab on the Gulf Coast. The Dauphin Island Sea Lab was founded by the State Legislature in 1971, and is Alabama's marine education and research center. The Estuarium is an exciting educational facility highlighting the four key habitats of coastal Alabama: the Mobile Tensaw River Delta, Mobile Bay, the Barrier Islands and the Northern Gulf of Mexico. It includes a 10,000 square foot Exhibit Hall and Living Marsh Boardwalk. Teams enjoyed viewing the many exhibits and they got hands-on experience at the touch tanks, where they could hold everything from live crabs to preserved octopuses.

The opening ceremony was held later that night at the USS Battleship Aircraft Pavillion. Features included the presentation of colors, the National Anthem, and Pledge of Allegiance. Opening remarks by local dignitaries and other community leaders. Motivational message by Dr. Joe Lee, President of Alabama State University. Olympic Oath to athletes presented by Alabama Sports Festival's Marc Riker.

Hosts - Eufaula Housing Authority, City of Eufaula, Eufaula Parks & Recreations Dept., Birmingham HUD Office, AAHRA
Place - Eufaula, AL
Dates - March 20-24, 2004
Total Teams - 25
Total Attendance - Approximately 400

Special Events - The tournament kicked off on Saturday evening with first round games. On Sunday, teams visited the Eufaula Wildlife Refuge. The Eufaula Wildlife Refuge (spanning 11,184 acres on both sides of the Chattahoochee River) was established in 1964, thereby creating a protected habitat for endangered and threatened species, as well as for wintering waterfowl and other migratory species.

After the Refuge tour, teams then gathered at Lakepoint State Park for lunch at the ESPN Outdoors Expo at the 2004 CITGO Bassmasters Tournament Tour. While there, players and coaches were treated to an educational seminar on water safety, care, and environmental responsibility by ESPN Outdoors and Bassmasters. The event included lots of educational opportunities for children, including the Bassmaster Casting Kids scholarship program that has awarded $2.7 million in prizes and scholarships since 1990. As part of the program, ESPN Outdoors brings along a customized, professional tournament bass boat. They also bring a 65x8x16.5 interactive trailer that includes 12 audio/video "Dream Cast” fishing simulators with built-in rods and reels.

The opening ceremony was held later that night at the Eufaula Community Center. Features included the presentation of colors, the National Anthem, and Pledge of Allegiance. Opening remarks by local dignitaries and other community leaders. Motivational message by Calvin Sims, the self proclaimed "black cowboy." Olympic Oath to athletes presented by Alabama Sports Festival's Marc Riker.

Hosts - Anniston Housing Authority, City of Anniston, Anniston Parks & Recreations Dept., AAHRA
Place - Anniston, AL
Dates - March 19-22, 2005
Total Teams - 16
Total Attendance - Approximately 250

Special Events - The tournament kicked off on Saturday evening with first round games. On Sunday, teams visited the Anniston Museum of Natural History and the Berman Museum of World History.

After the tours, teams gathered that evening for the Opening Ceremony Banquet. Features included the presentation of colors, the National Anthem, and Pledge of Allegiance. Opening remarks by local dignitaries and other community leaders. Motivational message by Mr. Lynnwood Hawkins, Principal of 10th Street Elementary School. Olympic Oath to athletes presented by Alabama Sports Festival's Marc Riker.

Hosts - Dothan Housing Authority, City of Dothan, Dothan Dept. of Leisure Services, AAHRA
Place - Dothan, AL
Dates - March 18-21, 2006
Total Teams - 19
Total Attendance - Approximately 200

Special Events - The tournament kicked off on Saturday afternoon with a coach's meeting and youth forum for the players. Later that evening was the Opening Ceremony Banquet. Features included the presentation of colors, the National Anthem, and Pledge of Allegiance. Opening remarks by local dignitaries and other community leaders. Motivational message by the Honorable Judge Rose Gordon. Olympic Oath to athletes presented by Alabama Sports Festival's Marc Riker.

Sunday morning saw the teams tours Dothan's murals depicting the history of the City, the South and the Indians. After the tours, first round games began.

Hosts - Dothan Housing Authority, City of Dothan, Dothan Dept. of Leisure Services, AAHRA
Place - Dothan, AL
Dates - March 17-18, 2007
Total Teams - 14
Total Attendance - Approximately 200

Special Events - After the games were completed, the tournament concluded with an awards banquet held at Landmark Park in the Activity Barn. Landmark Park is a 100 acre park built to preserve the natural and cultural heritage of southeast Alabama's Wiregrass Region. Landmark Park is more than just a place to look. It is a place to participate and experience. Experience history on an 1890's living history farm, complete with an old farmhouse, smokehouse, cane mill, syrup shed, and sheep, goats, and pigs. Drift back in time in a Victorian gazebo, a one-room schoolhouse, a drugstore/doctor's office, a country store or a turn-of-the-century church.

Hosts - Huntsville Housing Authority, City of Huntsville
Place - Huntsville, AL
Dates - January 19-21, 2008
Total Teams - 11
Total Attendance - Approximately 150

Special Events - Teams enjoyed a banquet that included motivational speakers, entertainment, and concluded with spectacular outdoor fireworks. Teams visited the US Space and Rocket Center and received an educational tour. The tournament wrapped up with a "Party with a Purpose".  This event served as an awards ceremony and an opportunity to be inspired by motivator Pete Key.

Tony McGinnis, Tournament Director, spoke to the athletes about academics and athletics. Tony shared his personal story of growing up in Huntsville in public housing, playing basketball at Texas A&M, and then returning to Huntsville to work for the Huntsville Housing Authority.

The 17th Annual AAHRA Basketball Tournament partnered with SERC - the Southeast Regional Council of NAHRO - to present the 2009 Martin Luther King, Jr. SERC Basketball Tournament.

The tournament was held on the University of Alabama Birmingham campus during January 17-19, 2009.

The tournament - hosted by the Alabama Sports Festival, Partners in Neighborhood Growth (PING), the Alabama Association of Housing and Redevelopment Authorities (AAHRA), and SERC - hosted 15 teams from Alabama, North Carolina and Virginia. The event was open to public housing and Boys and Girls Club teams from Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia and West Virginia. Participants were from 10 to 18 years old.

An opening ceremony banquet in Birmingham’s Boutwell Auditorium featured Birmingham Police Chief A.C. Roper, who spoke about the Power of Choices; and was attended by approximately 275 players, coaches, chaperones and tournament personnel. The tournament’s awards ceremony was held in the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame and featured former Harlem Globetrotters player Melvin Adams as an entertaining and inspirational speaker. The student-athletes also toured the Civil Rights Museum, rounding out a weekend of sportsmanship, culture, education and citizenship.