I JUST WANT TO TAKE A FEW MINUTES OF YOUR TIME TO INTRODUCE YOU TO MY ORGANIZATION, THE GBA (GIRLS BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION). WE ( MY STAFF AND ME ) HAVE BEEN HOSTING BASKETBALL TOURNAMENTS FOR OVER 10 YEARS.

WE STARTED OUT DOING ONE TOURNAMENT IN CAMBRIDGE, OHIO AND NOW WE HOST SEVERAL TOURNAMENTS ALL OVER OHIO, AND NOW WERE ALSO IN WEST VIRGINIA, PENNSYLVANIA, AND INDIANA. WE WANTED TO PROVIDE AN OPTION TO FAMILIES THAT WANTED TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON THEIR BASKETBALL SKILLS IN THE SPRING AND SUMMER MONTHS. YOU RESPONDED. WE ARE OVERWHELMED EACH WEEKEND WITH TEAMS COMING FROM SEVERAL STATES AND EVEN CANADA. IN 2003, WE HAD OVER 100 TEAMS PLAYING NINE WEEKENDS IN A ROW. WE PRIDE OURSELVES IN PROVIDING GIRLS AGES 9 -17 A PLACE TO IMPROVE THEIR BASKETBALL SKILLS, HAVE FUN, AND SPEND TIME WITH THEIR FAMILIES AT A GREAT FAMILY EVENT. IN 2003, THE GBA HOSTED OVER 25 TOURNAMENTS, INCLUDING A YEAR END NATIONAL TOURNAMENT. WE HAD OVER 5000 GIRLS AND 1300 TEAMS FROM EIGHT STATES AND CANADA PARTICIPATE IN THESE EVENTS. I HOPE THAT SOME OF YOUR PLAYERS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY IN SOME OF THESE TOURNAMENTS. IN 2004, WE HAD 18 TOURNAMENTS WITH OVER 4500 GIRLS AND 1200 TEAMS PLAYING IN OUR EVENTS. SINCE 2004 WE CONTINUE TO GROW. IN 2005, THE NUMBERS INCREASED, AND IN 2006, WE CONTINUED TO GROW EVEN MORE.

IN 2007, WE WENT 9 WEEKENDS IN A ROW WITH OVER 120 TEAMS PLAYING IN OUR "GIRLS ONLY" EVENTS.



IN 2008, WE WENT ( 11 ) WEEKENDS IN A ROW WITH OVER 120 TEAMS PLAYING! WE HAD 113 TEAMS PLAYING IN OUR NATIONAL TOURNAMENT. WE CONTINUE TO PROVIDE TEAMS IN THE MIDWEST THE CHANCE TO PLAY BASKETBALL ALL SPRING AND SUMMER LONG.