CitC means a lot more than great hoops and food
Former Hiland head coach Dave Schlabach, left, helped create Classic in the Country as a way to bring people together for basketball, unity and food and as a way to kick-start the economy during slow winter months. His son Brady Schlabach has taken on a bigger role and may be part of the future of continuing the event.
David “Cousy” Borter wasn’t one of the three men who put their heads together to create Classic in the Country, a high school girls basketball event that takes place over Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend each year. That honor belonged to Ohio Girls Basketball Report owner and founder Tom Jenkins, longtime Hiland Lady Hawks basketball coach Dave Schlabach and Paul Wackerly, longtime head coach at GlenOak High School.
However, as assistant coach to Schlabach for most of Schlabach’s tenure, Borter quickly became a fixture in helping drive CitC.
With the passing of Jenkins last year coupled with the retirement of Schlabach, who stepped down after leading the program for 30 years, there was concern over what would happen to the Classic.
There was never a doubt for the longtime assistant coach.
Borter, who also stepped down when Schlabach retired, approached his coach and said there was no way they could allow the Classic to disappear after having invested so much in it.
“After Tom passed, Cousy came to me and said, ‘We going to keep this thing going at a high level?’ We knew that we would face some challenges, and we built this into something special that is nearly impossible to recreate anywhere else,” Schlabach said. “In creating this atmosphere, the community has played such a big part in volunteering, with so many different businesses and individuals making an impact. We’ve got people who have been with us for 19 years who recognize the value this weekend represents, and we appreciate all of them.”
For Borter, who was as close to Jenkins as anyone in the community, there was never a doubt as to where to go after the untimely passing of Jenkins.
“I told Dave I was going to be back for this, and we needed to keep the Classic going at a high level because that is what Tom would have wanted,” Borter said.
Schlabach said Jenkins’ passion for basketball and equality was so genuine it drew people, and his many basketball connections throughout the nation set the table to quickly propel the CitC into one of the top-ranked girls basketball venues in the nation.
Schlabach went on to say the CitC receives incredible support from local businesses that also recognize the value of this event during the dead of winter when the economy slows. He said as a reward, the CitC serves as the top fundraiser for the Hiland Athletic Boosters and for the Hiland Athletic Department. Taking this event away would create a huge hole in both of their funding.
It also would create an enormous shortcoming in the local economy. Schlabach said the event brings around $1 million annually into the county, extending well beyond just Berlin. That doesn’t even take into consideration how many of the visitors to the CitC come back to visit during the summer or fall to enjoy more of what Holmes County has to offer.
“There are so many reasons the Classic plays a critical role, and if the merry-go-round stops, the ride is over, and it is such an important part of our economy and our community,” Schlabach said.
Schlabach said the next step in the evolution of the CitC will be to bring in the next generation to take over. His son Brady Schlabach took on a key role by heading up the entertainment side of the show this year, but he said he is willing to take on a bigger role, learn the ropes and see where he can put his skills to use in continuing the show.
“I know there was talk about if or how the Classic would move forward, and I know what it means to the community and the school and everyone who attends, so I wanted to take on a role and grow into it,” Brady Schlabach said. “I guess I’ve always known how hard Dad, Cousy and everyone works, and I’ve seen it firsthand, but being in the trenches with them this year was something unique and special.”
He said anyone who knows Jenkins knows how passionate he was about promoting unity and sameness in people, and the zeal with which he approached the game of basketball made stepping in easy. He added it will be on the shoulders of the next generation to take on significant roles in keeping CitC rolling as they learn from the leadership that is now in place.
According to East Holmes Schools board member Steve Miller, what the Classic has become to the community is immeasurable. He said the Lady Hawks program has benefited greatly from the showcase, and the event has become critical in terms of economic growth.
“This event has obviously helped put Hiland basketball right up there with the best programs in the state,” Miller said. “As a school board, it is satisfying to see this great event bring so many people in the community together with a single purpose in mind, and that is making the Classic the best it can be because we understand it represents who we are and the hospitality we want to portray. It’s been a positive thing from day one to watch this grow and see it succeed.”
Miller said the local volunteers, some who attend basketball games faithfully and others who don’t but want to support this community endeavor, make the CitC what it is and represent who the people of Holmes County are.
“Of course, the food and basketball stand out, but what people really take away from here is how they are treated,” Miller said. “People here enjoy showing the hospitality side of who we are, and this is a complete reflection of who we are. You can’t put a number on or measure goodwill. When people visit an area, when you’re treated well, that’s what truly stands out in your mind. People put a lot of value in how they were treated. That is what is really exciting about this event. Because from the beginning of year one, everyone who visits the Classic is treated with respect and love, and that is the theme this event was built around.”