For many years, the Warsaw Sports Business Club (WSBC) partnered with KIDSPORTS to organize an annual 3x3 basketball tournament at Matthew Knight Arena for local middle school students. This event was created to give children of all financial backgrounds the opportunity to play basketball in a unique environment.

Recently, WSBC recognized a need to strengthen the tournament's core values of passion, integrity, and leadership within its competitive structure. The club's leadership team, helmed by sophomore Alessandra Rodriguez, responded to the challenge by reinventing the event to ensure that its primary focus is teaching young athletes the importance of sportsmanship, teamwork, and integrity. Borrowing best practices from successful organizations, such as Street Football World, the WSBC team redesigned the tournament in a way that promoted a positive atmosphere for all attendees.

The first reimagined Warsaw Hoopfest, which took place April 23, 2017, hosted nearly 150 middle-school-aged participants along with 100 student and community volunteers. The day's activities included skill challenges, three-point contests, and round-robin play consisting of co-ed teams of “free agents." Warsaw Hoopfest's day camp-like environment fostered relationship-building and holistic skill development alongside lessons in traditional basketball skills. Much to the excitement of participants, Oregon student-athletes and coaches also joined in the fun.

Warsaw Hoopfest generated $8,850 in sponsorship revenue. Net proceeds from Warsaw Hoopfest will continue to support the Stephen Dember Memorial Scholarship Fund and the KIDSPORTS scholarship program.

The Warsaw Sports Marketing Center commends Rodriguez and her entire leadership team for their vision and execution of this flagship event and remains grateful to former Oregon Ducks head coach and current KIDSPORTS executive director Bev Smith for continuing to facilitate a valuable partnership.