Basketball tourney to benefit CanTeen hopes to turn the tide this year

By Sarah Hall

Editor

The Gus Macker 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament was once the biggest fundraiser for the CanTeen in Cicero.

But for the last few years, sponsorship revenue has fallen off significantly, leaving the teen center scrambling to make up for the shortfall.

“Last year was another tough year,” said Julie LaFave, tournament director. “We were only able raise a little over $8,000, which was similar to 2015’s event. I realize that may sound like a large number for some events to fundraise, but when you consider that we used to raise upwards of $25,000 in one weekend and our annual amount to raise is close to $40,000, that number of $8,000 stings quite a bit.”

According to CanTeen Executive Director Toni Brauchle, the CanTeen has three main funding streams: the four municipalities the center serves (the towns of Cicero, Clay and Salina and the village of North Syracuse), which provide money through their parks departments, youth services and other stream; the state of New York, which funds the program through Onondaga County’s Office of Children and Family Services; and the Friends of the CanTeen’s 501(c)3, which raises money through various events like the Macker tournament.

“If any of these streams dries up or shrinks, the only source that can make adjustments is the Friends group,” Brauchle said. “They are left shouldering the burden of any shortfall.”

Gus Macker tournaments have become a tradition for people across the country. The first Gus Macker tournament was played by Scott McNeal (known to friends as Gus Macker) on his parents’ driveway basketball court in Lowell, Michigan, in 1974. By 1987, it had become a statewide phenomenon. The first year, more than 10,400 players participated in five cities. Since then, the Macker tournaments have expanded, holding both indoor and outdoor games in more than 75 cities, with more than 200,000 players taking part each year.

LaFave, a native of Michigan, brought the Macker to Cicero in 2010 to act as a major fundraiser for the CanTeen after state budget cuts threatened the program. Since its inception, the tournament has raised more than $120,000 for the teen center, attracting about 175 to 200 teams and roughly 800 athletes to town each year.

The tournament moved from Driver’s Village to the parking lot of the high school in 2015 after the expansion of the car dealership. While the relocation meant better visibility, closer proximity to the CanTeen itself and a better space overall for the event, it did have a major downside: sponsorship revenue declined by 41 percent between 2014 and 2015. And since the tournament had replaced many smaller fundraisers throughout the year, the center has taken in fewer donations from the public in the last several years.

While the last few years have been tough financially, LaFave and Brauchle are, as always, optimistic about the future. New sponsors have stepped up to keep the tournament going, including Cumulus Radio and Sun Auto Warehouse, which is this year’s Presenting Partner. Brauchle said Sun owner Todd Caputo stepped into the void when the CanTeen was in dire straits as former sponsors Driver’s Village and Price Chopper moved on to other local causes.

“Sun Auto Warehouse has been a sponsor on a lower level,” she said. “Mr. Caputo listened carefully as we described the need for the funds to support The CanTeen. He asked lots of questions and could fully comprehend and could relate to how passionate we are about supporting the youth of the community.”

That said, organizers remain grateful to Driver’s Village for helping to give the tournament such a strong start.

“I think we would be foolish to forget Roger Burdick of Driver’s Village for helping get this off the ground,” LaFave said. “Without him, there’s a chance we would still be running small scale fundraisers throughout the year. He supported us and saw the passion we had for putting this on. And now that torch has been passed to Todd Caputo for Sun Chevrolet. They both deserve so much credit for their dedication to the community.”

Meanwhile, the physical move has proven to be a boon to the tournament.

“People like the event site much more and the school district is great to work with,” LaFave said. “Plus, being directly next door to our own door absolutely has its advantages.”

Brauchle said this year’s tournament, to be held Aug. 12 and 13, is shaping up to be another great one.

“There is an anticipation that is built up each year as the tournament approaches,” she said. “Kids are excited.”

And it’s not just kids — Brauchle noted that, between hotel stays, restaurant visits, gas purchases and more, the tournament generates something like a quarter of a million dollars in revenue in the greater Cicero area each year. So there’s good reason to support the tournament beyond the obvious fact that it sustains the CanTeen.

“We are always looking for sponsors or partners at every level,” LaFave said. “Even the little things over the weekend like feeding 100-plus volunteers eats at our budget. Every dollar or donation of any kind helps!”

And anything left over goes to help keep the doors open at the CanTeen, which Brauchle said is constantly evolving to meet the changing needs of today’s adolescents.

“The constant is the need for relationships with adults that are healthy and supportive that help them to navigate those challenges at a time during the work day when custodial parents may be away from the home in the afternoon,” she said. “Providing services, supports and opportunities is the foundation on which the CanTeen is built, but the vehicle in which they are provided may look different. What works one week, may not work on another week. The staff needs to be constantly inquiring and observing trends to keep up.”  

To register a team for Macker or to learn more, visit macker.com.