Go Sports America gives young, local athletes the opportunity to learn, grow and thrive in organized sports.
Our History
Supporting Local Athletes Established in 2012Wisconsin's #1 Basketball Classic
Establishment of the Holiday Classic
John Lynn, a 1990 Tremper graduate, wanted to establish a holiday basketball tournament tradition back in 2012. He had the idea to bring back the Holiday Hoopla which ended in 2005. This featured Bradford, Tremper, Central, and St. Joseph basketball teams. The Holiday Classic, directed by Jon Palmen and John Lynn, was created to support local athletes. It has now evolved to become one that keeps growing from the first tournament in 2012 with six local teams.
Carthage College hosts the Holiday Classic at Tarble Arena every year. This venue is perfect for the event because high school kids are getting a nice venue to play in along with having the opportunity to play against local talent that they have grown up surrounded by. This local venue eliminates teams traveling during the holiday season, so they are given the chance to play in front of their families and friends during the holiday.
Growth Over the Years
Over the years the Holiday Classic continues to get bigger and better. Starting in 2012 with six games and featuring six teams the event is now growing every year. In 2015 there were seventeen teams, twelve boys teams and five girls teams. The Holiday Hoops Classic is becoming a bigger hit each year.
The title sponsor of the tournament began with Honda of Kenosha in 2012. In addition, the WIAA approved a Honda Player of the Game that receives a white paneled basketball. Since 2012 a Honda Player of the game has been chosen by a committee of judges after each game to be honored. In 2016 the Doctors of Physical Therapy took over as the title sponsor for the tournament and continues to be the title sponsor since 2016. Honda of Kenosha continues to be the sponsor of the player of the game ball. In 2023, Educators Credit Union also joined in as the player of the game sponsor at Parkside.
The Doctors of PT Holiday Classic enjoyed more success in 2017, featuring thirteen games in three days. This included three overtime games, a double overtime game, and a game that was decided by three points in regulation. The matchups with teams have always been competitive and it creates excitement for all the fans and families that attend.
It’s More than Just Games
Hosting The Holiday Classic every year has become more than just games. It has grown into important fundraising for local institutions. Every year this event raises thousands of dollars for local athletic programs and scholarships. The ultimate goal has been to create events that are competitive and enjoyable for athletes, coaches, fans, and families. The secondary goal is to give back to the community with scholarships given by Go Sports America. It is all about the kids and community having a great experience watching and playing locally over the holiday. This is the highlight of the season for many local schools, with a great atmosphere, positive energy, and fun competition. It is a great opportunity to showcase young athletes' talent and for teams and players who don’t play each other often to get a chance to match up and compete in Tarble Arena & UW Parkside's newly renovated court.
2021 Kenosha News Recap!
Call (262) 945-4282
to learn more about the
DPT Holiday Classic.
Accepted forms of donations include PayPal, checks, and debit and credit cards.
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