Mike Burdett, founder of the Edmonds Sports Academy, can barely contain his excitement when he talks about what Edmonds has in store next week for the 600 youth basketball players and hundreds of fans arriving for the second annual Holiday Hoopfest Monday-Wednesday.
When Burdett decided to take on organizing the tournament for 5th-8th grade boys and girls (the first one in 2010 was run by Edmonds-Woodway High School girls basketball coach Duane Hodges), he went beyond the basics of scheduling teams and organizing brackets. His passion as a shameless booster of Edmonds and the Edmonds business community kicked in, and he started pounding the pavement, figuring out ways the businesses could benefit directly from the influx of kids and adults
“The idea is to tie our sports events to the local community,” said Burdett, a former financial planner and lifetime Edmonds resident who founded the Edmonds Sports Academy last summer as the culmination of a long-time dream. The Academy initially opened at the Edmonds Center for the Arts gymnasium, a facility no longer available to Burdett, but he has secured time for the academy at two other locations — the Church of God gym on 220th Street Southwest and Cedar Park Christian School in Mountlake Terrace. Next week’s tournament will be played at those two locations, plus Edmonds-Woodway High School.
The tournament will run from 11 a.m.-8 p.m. each day, and all proceeds from team entry fees and admission (there’s a discount for families) will benefit the E-W girls basketball team. In addition, one player chosen at random from each team will receive free dinner at Hamburger Harry’s in downtown Edmonds while all players (and their families) will receive discounts at a variety of participating Edmonds and Mountlake Terrace businesses, including Revelations Yogurt, Taki Tiki, Dimitri’s, The Loft, Mazatlan, the Red Onion, Evviva Pizza, Starbucks and Portofino’s.
Mike , What happened to the ECA facility
Thanks Mike for all the hard work you have put into organizing this tournament! This event is a positive for Edmonds in many, many ways
Kudo’s to Hamburger Harry’s, Revelations Yogurt, Taki Tiki, Dimitri’s, The Loft, Mazatlan, the Red Onion, Evviva Pizza, Starbucks, Portofino’s and others for participating in this great event.
I hope the event succeeds beyond your highest dreams and becomes an annual tradition!
Let’s hope it grows and that games are added next year at the ECA. As basketball people in Edmonds know, the ECA gym with its built in Wood Bleachers and “Hoosier” feel has the potential to be very special basketball tournament gym.
Furthermore, The ECA gym’s proximity to downtown can be a big positive for our downtown merchants, Hopefully the day will come where many of those out-of-town basketball parents and fans will be withing walking distance of the downtown businesses that support our City in so many ways.
Thanks again Mike.
Thank-you Ken for your support and positive feedback. Duane Hodges, the EWHS girls basketball coach laid the foundation for this event last year, and through the tremendous support of volunteers and local businesses it has grown from 24 teams to over 55! I am so excited to see what impact it will have on our local sponsors during a typical slow time after Christmas. I am also blessed to be able to help our local youth with proceeds going towards the high schools booster program. Also keep reading MEN as once this is over we will be rolling out plans for a very large summer 3 on 3 tournament in downtown Edmonds! I feel strongly that the “Power of Play” can have a social and economic impact on our wonderful community. Merry Christmas!
Thank you to Mike who puts his heart and soul into this, brings the community together, and gives the kids a great outlet for their passion of basketball. The ECA should be ashamed that they made a poor business and community decision by not allowing the tournament to be played there. People let your voices be heard. The ECA should realize that turning down dollars for a gym standing there empty makes those of us who have contributed faithfully and supported them question their business expertise. Why would I want to continue to support a poorly run organization?
I was very disappointed when I learned of ECA’s decision not to be more supportive Edmonds Sports Academy’s work in the community. Mike has put forth an incredible amount of effort to work with the business and educational communities and I hoped that management of ECA would have seen the fantastic economic impact that tournaments like Hoopfest would have brought to the downtown core. Because of this, the Academy was forced to move its events out of the Edmonds bowl and now has to work harder to bring the participants back to town before, during and after the games. Let’s hope that ECA’s management is more conscious of this in the future.
Thank you Mike for your tireless effort to bring a first class sports academy to Edmonds. This is a great opportunity Edmonds businesses to support youth activities, while introducing people to our amazing community. It is a win/win situation for all. I look forward to working with the Academy again in the future.
It is a shame that ECA was unable to work with Mike and the Edmonds Sports Academy. My son played on the ESA Summer and Fall 7th grade basketball teams and attended all of the open gyms and many of the excellent training sessions and camps. It was great seeing the old gym full of Edmonds kids of all ages playing basketball here in town. The Academy offers a chance for kids of all skill levels, boys and girls to play competitive basketball in a safe and fun enviroment. Not only is it great for our kids, the Academy also offers fun oppurtunities for adults. I played in the ESA men’s league and every Thursday night the gym was filled with our families and friends cheering us old geezers on. Living only a few blocks from ECA I walk or run by the gym daily and it has been pretty frustrating seeing the gym sitting dark while knowing there is a local group that could not only put the gym to full use but also be a money maker for ECA. The old Tiger gym is a town gem and needs to be used and taken care of. I was recently in the gym for my daughters Sno-King practice and many of the lights were not working and we had to put four buckets out to catch the water leaking from the roof. It is clear that whatever plan ECA has for the gym this Winter is not working if they can’t even offer basic maintance to keep the gym safe for the few groups renting space. I encourage anyone who cares about youth sports, our community and its future to spend a little time talking to Mike about his vision for the Academy, (with or without ECA) and the wonderful opportunities it will bring to Edmonds. His passion for our kids and Edmonds is impressive.