Redshirts ensure another Classic winner
Volunteers remain at heart of Classic in the Countrys success
By Dave Mast
January 25, 2010
609
The Redshirts are coming. The Redshirts are coming!
Not exactly a stirring statement eliciting memories of the great Revolutionary War, but over the Classic in the Country weekend, when problems arise, when there is a need, or when a visitor to Ohios premier basketball tournament has a question, they dont have to look far for answers, thanks to the red-shirted volunteers who make things happen over the three-day Martin Luther King Jr. weekend at Hiland High School.
Whether its ushering officials or team players, serving food, parking cars, cleaning the stands or selling tickets, the redshirts were everywhere. From its inception, volunteers have been a large part of the success of the Classic.
The reasons they volunteer differ, but for each of them, they recognize the importance of the weekend for the countys economy during a normally slow winter period.
I want to support our athletic programs because they do a lot of good in our community, said Rob Miller, who has been a member of the clean-up crew from the inaugural year seven Classics ago. I think its a wonderful community event, and you want to do whatever you can to make it a success.
Officials host Chuck Reynolds has been telling referees where to go in a good way for years at the Classic. He makes sure they are informed of any details, answers questions they may have, directs them to changing areas and dining options, and in general becomes their personal secretary while at the Classic.
The athletic booster club does such a good job with all of our sports teams that this is something I can do to help give back, said Reynolds. Its not a lot, but it is a little, and when many people do a little, a lot gets done.
Cassandra Holtzmann is a newcomer to the Classic this year. She has always been big on volunteering, but much of that has come in the west portion of the county. An avid basketball fan, she felt it was time to dive into the Classic volunteer program. She served in ticket-taking and program sales, and enjoyed the atmosphere.
Its important for all of us to volunteer and take part in the things that we care about and that matter to the community, said Holtzmann. This event is important to our county, so it should be important to me.
This year, as has been the case every year, volunteers have taken thousands of minute details and tasks, and made the weekend go smoothly. Were there speed bumps along the way? Sure. But those were few and far between, and most were taken care of quickly and politely. To the men who created and promote the Classic, there is no question that should the volunteers not come out in full force, there would be no Classic.
Everything about this weekend is attention to detail, said promoter Tom Jenkins, orchestrator of the Ohio Girls Basketball Report, who heads up the event along with Hiland Lady Hawks coach Dave Schlabach. There are so many little details that most people will never even know about, but if they werent taken care of, the Classic would not be what it is. This is like throwing a party for 20,000 people, and you just cant do that on your own.
Both Jenkins and Schlabach have more than enough to do in the months leading up to the Classic, so the need for volunteers is an absolute. The consistent effort they have gotten from the community from Day 1 of the Classic has helped propel it to national status, being widely recognized as one of the premier high school basketball events of the year.
When it comes to volunteers pitching in and taking care of the almost innumerable chores associated with the Classic, Jenkins knows how valuable their time and commitment is to success. He also understands how much the volunteers care for what has become one of Holmes Countys driving economic forces in the dead of winter.
What it boils down to is people taking pride in something that is truly their event, said Jenkins. This exemplifies the people of this community, and they have to take ownership if they want it to succeed, and they have done so. They are putting their name on this weekend, and they know it reflects on the community and the people here.
The amount of work for both Jenkins and Schlabach is immense during the weekend and in the weeks heading into it, and if they had to continually oversee each of the various parts of the Classic, they couldnt do the things that need their personal touch. Jenkins said that because so many of the volunteers have been here for so long, each of the various branches of the Classic has taken on a life of its own without one of the bosses overseeing it.
Jenkins said that comes from people taking the reins and wanting to be successful in whatever they do in the volunteer ranks. By allowing the chair people and their volunteers the leeway to forge ahead with ideas and details, they have empowered each of the different volunteer groups to be creative.
People get confused about leadership, said Jenkins. You dont delegate tasks, you delegate authority. That empowers people to perform better, and it gives them ownership. These people have taken ownership of the Classic, because they should. It is their weekend to shine, and over the years, they have far exceeded any expectations that we ever had.
