by Vicki Skinner

Students and Viking Boosters preparing for tournament on a work weekend in October.

Years ago, Jim Hancock, former high school basketball coach at Pescadero High School, had an idea: Pescadero should host its own basketball tournament. Pescadero High School’s basketball teams traveled (and still travel) to Geyserville, where they participate in a basketball tournament in this peaceful town a few hours north. The town and school are so welcoming, they even have the Pescadero players stay in homes scattered throughout Geyserville to cut down on the cost to the players. 

Hancock wanted the opportunity to reciprocate. He relayed his dream to Gale Wong, unofficial president of the Viking Boosters, who had a son on the basketball team. Together, she and Vicki Skinner, another parent of a basketball player, along with the community and the whole high school — boosters, teachers and students alike — created Hoop Dreams Small School Invitational 2006. 

After months of hard work getting the locker rooms up to par, weeding and planting, painting, replacing light bulbs, buying bleachers, and more, the event finally culminated in three days of fun, great basketball, a raffle, dance, food, and a three-point shootout. More importantly, it gave the students a sense of pride in their school. They even refrained from littering as they took ownership for fixing up the school! More than 50 students, teachers, parents and community members showed up on any given work weekend. Local businesses contributed their share of help, from Los Amigos, which donated the rice and beans, to Simms Plumbing, which did work at the high school, paid for by Tom Kat Ranch. Liam Hussey from California Wood Floors did the benches in the locker room, and Fred Rosenberg ordered and installed partitions. The I.D.E.S. Society paid for a banner to be stretched over the road. The list is endless.

Members of the Pescadero High School Girls basketball team 2007 (L to R) Lindsay Curran, Hayley Strohm, Chloe Talbot, Kelsey Harrison, Caroline Pisani, and Angelica Mendez.

That was three years ago. What started as an idea has become an annual event. The Viking Boosters began working on this year’s Hoop Dreams back in April. Parents, teachers, community members, students and alumni participate in work weekends scheduled monthly in the fall. This year, Kirby and Pacific Collegiate in Santa Cruz, Orinda Academy, Alma Heights in Pacifica, Bay School and S. F. Christian from San Francisco, Geyserville, Point Arena, and The Harker School in San Jose are sending teams. Steve Glass, athletic director of the Bay School says, “All of our student athletes, coaches, and parents always look forward to this tournament. It gives our teams the opportunity to take a road trip to the beautiful town of Pescadero. It has become a tradition for our basketball program; we always have a great time and enjoy the friendly competition. Pescadero High School does a fabulous job of welcoming other teams and running the tournament.”

Ken Donnelly, owner of the Pescadero Creekside Inn and basketball coach at the middle school says, “Parents from Bay booked my whole place for the tournament. It really is a lot of fun for the town.”

Team members mingled and became friends, especially the players from Geyserville and Pescadero. Many players now greet each other like old friends. In fact, on the girls’ team, long-term friendships have formed. The Geyserville girls, who stay with a local family in the community, sit with the Pescadero girls during their games and root for each other when they are on the court. Says senior Chloe Talbot, last year’s Athlete of the Year for Pescadero High School, “As far as my relationship with people from Geyserville, it has been a really great experience. It has been fun meeting people from another place, who are from a small school like us, and have a lot of similarities. My favorite part of the Hoop Dreams tournament is meeting up with my friends from the previous year, and meeting new friends as well. I hope it is something that is continued for many years after I graduate, because it is good for people from our small town to meet different people, and to realize that you can make friends anywhere.”

Andy Lagow (on tractor) and Hayley Strohm on the work weekend held Oct. 18 and 19.

Hayley Strohm, whose mother is housing members of the Geyserville boys’ team this year, agrees. She says, “We are happy to get a chance to give back to Geyserville as we always have so much fun up there.” 

Casey Norton, head basketball coach of the boys’ varsity team at Pescadero, is looking forward to basketball season. He says, “The Hoop Dreams tournament is a great way to get the community excited about the upcoming basketball season. Coming to high school basketball games is an inexpensive, family-oriented event. It’s great to see the elementary and middle school students, parents, old-time locals, and newer members of our community come together at the games. And, of course, for the players, it’s great to have a crowd.”

So, join us at Pescadero High School gym from Thursday, Dec. 4, when the first games start, through Dec. 6, when the championship game takes place at approximately 8 p.m. Cost of the tournament is $10 for a 3-day pass or $5 for a single day. For Pescadero students it is $5 for a 3-day pass or $2 for a single day. Kids under 10 are free. It’s a fun way to socialize locally, eat great food ranging from Fred’s famous burgers to homemade tamale plates, and support our schools.

Fred Rosenberg, treasurer of the Viking Boosters, painting the side of the school.

Heather McAvoy, school board member, raking up some vegetation.