New locale could boost Hoop It Up event – Omaha World

Published Wednesday January 25, 2012

By Marjie Ducey
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

Hoop It Up Omaha could take off like a rocket on the Fourth of July with its new location and new time, Regional Event Director Dona Smith said Wednesday.

The 3-on-3 basketball competition is moving from downtown Omaha to the Werner Park parking lot and from the month of May to the weekend of July 7 and 8.

“I think this is going to make a world of difference,” Smith said.

Participants will no longer have to pay for parking, and the close proximity to Interstate 80 could attract teams from Lincoln and beyond. The event also will no longer go head-to-head with high school state tournaments and graduation events.

Smith is hoping that the number of teams will spike from about 230 to around 400.

“I can definitely see it growing that much,” she said.

Registration fees for teams of five start at $100 for the youth division and go up to $150 for the Top Gun division. Hoop It Up Omaha is offering teams $20 off for pre-registration between now and Feb. 8.

Smith said there is no limit on the variety of divisions, as long as there are four teams in each. That means co-ed teams, over-50 teams, you name it.

“Anybody who wants to play, I want them to be able to play,” she said.

Besides 3-on-3 basketball, the two-day event will feature 3-point, dunk and free-throw contests.

Smith, who has coached in the youth and high school ranks, has been in charge of the event since it returned to Omaha seven years ago. She also does events in Louisville, Ky., and Indianapolis.

This year, she’s hoping for her best event ever in memory of her son Steve, who died in November at age 31. He played in the event, worked on the road crew and ran the scoreboard. They also coached together.

“He was my right-hand guy,” she said.

The family aspect is one reason she likes the new dates. Families could take vacation time and form a team.

“I love Hoop It Up, and the community really needs Hoop It Up,” Smith said. “It needs more people to come together in a positive atmosphere.”

For information, contact Smith at 402-578-3159 or www.hoopitup.com.

Contact the writer:

402-444-1034, marjie.ducey@owh.com

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