SPOKANE, Wash. – For Riley Stockton, basketball (and specifically Hoopfest) has always been a part of his story.
"For me, it was always my favorite weekend of the year. I remember how special it was when I woke up Saturday morning of Hoopfest, and so there is a little bit of pressure to put on the same quality of event," said Stockton.Â
Now in its thirty-third year, Stockton is the point guard of the planning, which started back in October. But he says that he is just one stripe on the Hoopfest court. It's his team that makes it all happen.
"We really leave it on our staff to make sure everything is set up, everybody's happy, and that we're able to have a successful tournament," said Stockton.Â
That team goes beyond the office staff. It extends to the hundreds of volunteers who Stockton says the tournament wouldn't be possible without.Â
"It's really the volunteers that make sure Hoopfest can happen, and those kids leave with a smile. We can do a lot, but we couldn't do it without the volunteers," Stockton said.
Stockton is a Spokane Native. He claims to have tried initiating Hoopfest in other cities, but says that there is just something special about his hometown that can't be outplayed.
"I always think it's because of the people. We've tried to do it in other places, bigger cities, but it never works like it does here, and it's solely because of the people who come out," Stockton stated.Â
Stockton added that if you want to get involved, there is still time to volunteer as a court monitor. You can find that information here.
