Pen High is hosting the first annual Len Cox Lakettes Memorial Tournament Nov. 28-30.
The Lakers senior girls basketball team hosts seven teams from the Okanagan (the South Kamloops Titans, Okanagan Mission Huskies, Mt. Boucherie Bears, Fulton Lady Maroons, Rutland Voodoos and Salmon Arm Jewels) and the Walnut Grove Gators, a top-10 squad, from the Fraser Valley.
Laker Haylee Robertson said the group is excited mainly because it’s their first game and they have new Grade 11 players.
“It will be a good learning experience for us to see how we work as a team,” said Robertson, adding that playing the Titans will be a good, early challenge since they have strong teams.
The tournament is a fundraiser for a bursary in Cox’s name. He is a former Pen High teacher, counsellor and administrator of 30 years who died this year. Cox established and ran the scholarship bursary foundation that currently gives more than $200,000 in educational funding to grads from Pen High, Princess Margaret and Summerland. Cox also coached the Lakettes throughout his career. Portions of the entry fee paid by teams will go to the scholarship, but there will also be a table set up for donations at the door of the gym.
The Lakers open the tournament against the Titans at 1 p.m. They return to the court Nov.29 to face the Huskies and close out on Sunday at 8:30 a.m. against the Gators.
When they hit the court they will have new uniforms.
“The new uniforms are really exciting,” said Robertson, adding that the grads were able to custom order them and pick out the fabric and design. “They are different colours. We don’t usually go for white. We will be looking spiffy.”