NCSAA Lake Erie Invitational - Division 2 and 3

Thursday, March 11, 2010 - Saturday, March 13, 2010

This tournament is for small to mid-range sized Christian and private school teams.  (Schools with more than 299 students in grades 9-12 may attend our Division 1 and Elite Championships.)

NCSAA Division 2 and 3 teams who play an elite-level or nationally competitive schedule will find the Division 1 and Elite Championships a better fit than this event.

Date:  March 11-13, 2010

Registration Deadline:

The 2010 NCSAA Lake Erie Invitational is open to both boys' varsity and girls' varsity basketball teams.  Teams from any region of the country are welcome to attend.

This tournament will be limited to a maximum of 24 boys' varsity basketball teams and a maximum of 24 girls' varsity basketball teams.  Register soon in order to be sure to claim a spot!

The final registration deadline is March 1, 2010. At this time we will close registration to begin making the brackets and schedule for the tournament.

Tournament Format:

• This tournament will be limited to a maximum of 24 boys' varsity basketball teams and a maximum of 24 girls' varsity basketball teams -- and will include a maximum of 3 boys' and 3 girls' divisions.  Divisional breakdown will be based on a combination of school size and competitive level.
• Homeschool teams are welcome to participate, as long as their players meet our eligibility requirements.  (1 - All players must have been regular members of the team during the season.  2 - All team members must currently be in high school.  3 - All team members must be homeschooled or not a member of any other school basketball team.)  If you are a homeschool team that is interested in participating, please be sure that your players meet these requirements.  Feel free to call for clarification, if necessary.

Tournament Features and Information:

Tournament Description:

• The NCSAA Lake Erie Invitational offers an exciting post-season tournament experience -- in a Christ-centered environment -- for your boys' and girls' varsity basketball teams.  Highly-organized and hosted at excellent facilities, this event allows teams of all sizes and levels to finish their seasons with the challenge and reward of a competitive post-season tournament -- and also provides significant opportunity for your players to gain exposure to college coaches and recruiters.

Tournament Format:

• This tournament is open to Christian and private schools from any region of the country. The tournament will be limited to a maximum of 24 boys' varsity basketball teams and a maximum of 24 girls' varsity basketball teams, which will compete in as many as three boys' and three girls' divisions.
• Boys and girls in grades 8-12 are eligible to compete.  You may obtain a waiver (verbal approval) for 7th grade athletes to participate, if necessary, by contacting NCSAA in advance of the tournament.
• Each team will play three or four games during the tournament.  f you have any concern regarding the number of games your team might play, please give us a call.
• A special evening of basketball skills contests (Point Guard Challenge, Three-Point Shootout, and Slam Dunk Contest) will be held on Friday night.

Closing Ceremony and Awards:

• All participating teams will be recognized during each division's closing ceremony, which will also include a special recognition of each team's senior athletes.
• Awards will be presented to the 1st and 2nd place teams in each division.
• A number of players from each team will be named to an All-Tournament Team and will be presented with specially-designed NCSAA All-Tournament Team patches to recognize their selection to this team.  Each team will also have the opportunity to nominate players for consideration for the annual NCSAA Super-Regional and All-American Teams.

Christ-Centered Environment and Team-Building Opportunities:

• We provide a consistent spiritual challenge for your athletes throughout the event -- from the devotional challenges at both the Opening Program and the Friday evening skills contests, to the unique Scripture reading and devotional booklet provided to all of your athletes for their use during each day of the event, to the ministry and outreach opportunities presented (as part of the NCSAA Hearts and Minds Project) to your team during the event, to the unified time of team prayer for senior athletes at the Closing Ceremony.  This NCSAA event is distinctive in its goal of being more than just an athletic event; we desire that your players deepen their relationships with God and their teammates during their time here!
• Various Christian colleges and universities will be present at the tournament to interact with the student-athletes. When your team is at the tournament, you can encourage your players to visit the college booths and do some research into the schools. Teams that attend our tournaments have remarked that this feature has been very valuable, as the event doubles as an opportunity to expose your athletes to the value of and options for Christian education beyond high school.

Beneficial Exposure for Your Athletes:

• Select games from the tournament may be broadcast live (via audio broadcast) on the NCSAA web site.  College coaches are able to follow these games online, providing additional recruiting exposure for top teams and athletes -- and parents and fans are able to hear their teams play!
• Each team's top athletes will be recognized in the "Players to Watch" section of the booklet given to all college coaches who attend the event (as well as many college coaches that request these materials after the tournament). This opportunity presents your players with a great chance to be seen by college coaches, scouts, and recruiters -- many of whom attend the tournament.

Location:

Family First Sports Park
8155 Oliver Road
Erie, PA 16509

Family First Sports Park houses four (4) regulation high school and college hardwood basketball courts at their facility in Erie, PA.  The 80-acre property also includes 16 outdoor soccer fields, 4 indoor soccer fields, a Fun Center (with various indoor winter attractions), Golf Dome, and a variety of other activities -- so you'll have plenty to do while you're at the tournament!

Check out details about the Park via the links below:

• Family First Sports Park - Facility Tour
• Housing and Conference Center
• Family First Fun Center
• Directions to the Park...and Area Attractions

Team Registration Fees (per team, per event):

$325 for NCSAA member schools
$375 for non-member schools

Your registration fee is non-refundable, except in the event of the cancellation of the tournament.

All teams are expected to pay their full registration fees by the registration deadline date.  Any exceptions to this rule must be discussed with and approved by NCSAA.  If you have any questions regarding this procedure (or if you are already late with your payment), please contact us ASAP.

Individual Athlete Fee:

$25 per athlete (NCSAA member schools), $30 per athlete (non-member schools)

This fee covers:

• Tournament Fees -- Provision of all tournament activities and services to the athlete
• Family Admission -- The gate fee (for all three days of the tournament) is waived for the families of all participating athletes.

Individual athlete fees are due upon your arrival at the tournament. If you have any questions regarding these fees, please contact us ASAP.

Please note that we have significantly reduced the Lodging and Meals Fees this year, so those of you who will be lodging at Family First Sports Park will be paying essentially the same overall amount per athlete that you paid in previous years.

Withdrawals:

We understand that occasionally there may be reason for a team to withdraw from a tournament, after having already registered. If any team must withdraw after already registering for the tournament, that team still will be expected to honor its commitment to pay the full team registration fees. NCSAA must budget based on the number of registered teams, and all fees for all registered spots are critical in order to plan for and conduct a successful tournament. Thanks for your understanding of this!

Lodging and Meals Fees:

All teams are required to use one of the following options for their lodging and meals during the tournament (with the exception of local teams that will commute to the park from home each day).

NCSAA requires that teams make their lodging arrangements through FFSP; this agreement with the Park allows us to make the cost of facilities affordable for us -- and, thus, to keep the registration cost for all teams at an affordable level.  In the event that the Family First Housing and Conference Center fills, teams may then make their own lodging arrangements.  Any team that chooses to make its own lodging and meals arrangements elsewhere (before the time when the Housing and Conference Center fills) will still be required to pay Independent Lodging Arrangement fees (Option #2) listed below.

All teams must contact Family First Sports Park (814-866-5425, ext. 214 or 215) to make their lodging and meals arrangements.

Housing and Conference Center Option:  $80 per person

• This fee covers each person's lodging (at the Family First Sports Park Housing and Conference Center) for Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday nights -- as well as meals for Thursday (breakfast, lunch, and dinner), Friday (breakfast, lunch, and dinner), and Saturday (breakfast only).
• This fee also provides each person with a 3-day pass to the Fun Center attractions.
• If you need to add on Saturday night lodging, you can do that for an extra $15 per person.   Please communicate this to the Park staff, when you make your reservations.
• Each team staying in the Housing Center is required to have its coaches staying on-site, as well.
• Space is the Housing Center is limited, so be sure to call soon if you want to reserve rooms for your teams to stay on-site.
• You will pay Family First Sports Park directly for your housing and meals. You will not pay NCSAA for these costs.
• Visit the Family First Sports Park web site via this link for more information about the Housing and Conference Center.

Independent Lodging Arrangement Option:  $25 per athlete

• If you would rather make reservations at a hotel of your choosing (or if you have some other option for lodging), you may pay an extra $25-per-athlete fee to NCSAA (in addition to the standard Individual Athlete Fees), in lieu of selecting either Option #1 above.
• If you choose not to stay at the Family First Sports Park Housing and Conference Center (Option #1), you must pay this extra $25 fee.  (This fulfills the financial obligations of our agreement with Family First Sports Park, which allows us to keep the cost of facility rental low -- and, thus, to keep the registration cost for all teams at an affordable level.)
• This option does not provide you with any meals; you will be responsible for your own meals.
• This option does not provide you with any passes to the Fun Center attractions.  If you wish to use those attractions, you will need to pay separately.
• Erie hotels tend to fill quickly, so please be sure to make your decision soon if you are planning to select this option.
• If you use the Independent Lodging Arrangement, you must contact NCSAA (as soon as possible) to notify us of your decision…and make your payment of $25 per athlete directly to NCSAA.

Directions:

Family First Sports Park is located at 8155 Oliver Road, Erie, PA 16509.

From Pittsburgh and South:
Take I-79 North to Exit 178A (I-90 East, toward Buffalo). Follow to Exit 24 (Peach Street - old exit 6). Then turn right, and proceed to Oliver Road (at the next traffic light -- 0.4 miles). Turn right onto Oliver Road, and the Park will be on your left side (0.2 miles).

From Buffalo and East:
Take I-90 West to Exit 24 (Peach Street - old exit 6). Then turn left, and proceed to Oliver Road (at the next traffic light -- 0.4 miles). Turn right onto Oliver Road, and the Park will be on your left side (0.2 miles).

From Cleveland and West:
Take I-90 East to Exit 24 (Peach Street - old exit 6). Then turn right, and proceed to Oliver Road (at the next traffic light -- 0.4 miles). Turn right onto Oliver Road, and the Park will be on your left side (0.2 miles).

If you need further assistance with directions, please call 1-888-8GO-PARK.