By Robb Fenton
It should be a special weekend for Lloyd Comp High School as they celebrate both past and present.
This weekend, Dec. 19 and 20, marks the annual Alumni Weekend for the Lloyd Comp Barons basketball team where players who played up to three decades ago will join together for a small tournament.
“The call goes out to alumni near and far because a lot of guys move away and it’s just a chance to relive the glory days. We’ll have three teams, the young guns, the middle team, we don’t really have a fun name for them yet and the old dogs,” Barons teacher and former basketball coach Tom Groat said.
“We usually have around 40 alumni spread over three decades.”
Groat noted how much attention and fun the weekend has become and said having two teams play one exhibition game just wasn’t working anymore.
“It got to a point where it was almost too many guys, so we have a tournament and they look forward to it every year,” he said.
“It’s fun to watch these guys who haven’t played for a couple of decades come back and sweat it up and down the courts.”
While this weekend has been going on for a number of years, Groat said they have made changes every year because the players seem to become more and more competitive when they hit the court.
While it is all in fun and to support the Barons, the players are determined to come away with bragging rights.
“When I coached these guys, I coached them to win and the only comment I got back last year was they wanted to have a tournament format to know who won. Last year, it was just some games,” Groat said with a laugh, adding the players still have the desire to win once they hit the court.
While there will be some fun on and off the court, Groat knows this is an important weekend for not only the returning alumni who are able to meet up with old friends again, but also from the school’s point of view.
“I think it’s great for both ends. From the point of view of the alumni, it’s great because they have fond memories of high school, hopefully and their school sporting life.
“They have the chance to come back and play in their home gym one more time. And the ability to see where everyone is and what they’re up to, because these guys are all over the place,” Groat explained.
“From a school point of view, it’s great because it keeps the alumni in touch with the school community and that’s a great source of support. Not just financially, but just the idea of coming out and being aware that our Barons teams are still competing. We’re taking any sort of proceeds we get and there is a Barons alumni fund we’re starting up.”
The weekend kicks off Saturday night with registration at 5 p.m. before the games kick off later that evening. There will be two games Saturday night, followed by a social at 9 p.m. and the tournament will conclude Sunday, with games beginning at 10 a.m. and running into the afternoon and all of them being played in Lloyd Comp Gym.
The winner will be crowned after Sunday’s game and Groat plans on presenting a trophy the school made up to the winning team, who will have their names engraved on the prize.
“That’s going to give alumni the opportunity to give back to the high school a little bit. Helping after they benefitted from it,” Groat said.
“So they might be in a position where they can donate, or provide some financial support or support of any kind.”
There will be a silver collection at the door instead of an admission cost for people to attend.