Instead of laying down the day after Thanksgiving, Juneau residents have the chance to lace up at the first-ever Thanksgiving Turkey Shoot Tournament and Fundraiser hosted by the Floyd Dryden Middle School girls basketball team.
The tournament is set to happen Friday evening at the middle school.
The event features basketball shooting competitions for players of all ages from the public who will have a chance to compete in a variety of contests, including three-point, free throw, dunk and lighting round competitions. The event will also include a game between the Floyd Dryden A team and the Thunder Mountain High School C team after the public competitions.
And, if you didn’t get your fill of sweets on the holiday the day before, there will also be a bake sale featuring treats made by parents, students and community members with proceeds benefiting the team.
Jessica Nelson, the team head coach, said the team — which this year consists of 33 sixth to eighth grade girls — has had some major budget cuts over the past few years, and the fundraiser is a way for the team to use the funds toward equipment, like new uniforms and basketballs, and travel expenses.
Nelson said the team hasn’t had new uniforms since she was on the team more than two decades earlier, and added coming into the season the budget did not allow for the team to purchase enough basketballs.
“Often middle school programs can get forgotten, and it isn’t until it’s too late that we realize how small and inadequate the resources are,” she said. “We hope this event opens the community’s eyes that middle school sports are important as well.”
Luke Gunkel, assistant principal and athletic director at Floyd Dryden said the event is a great way for the community to come support young athletes in Juneau while also enjoying some baked treats.
“It helps support middle school sports, especially after COVID, a lot of kids benefit from these activities and learn a lot from being on a team,” he said. “The more the better and we hope a lot of people come to support our girls.”
Know & Go
What: Thanksgiving Turkey Shoot Tournament and Fundraiser
When: 4:30-7:30 p.m., Friday
Where: Floyd Dryden Middle School, 3800 Mendenhall Loop Road.
Admission: $2 entry fee, $5 competition fee
When: 4:30-7:30 p.m. Friday.
• Contact reporter Clarise Larson at clarise.larson@juneauempire.com or (651)-528-1807. Follow her on Twitter at @clariselarson.
