Gus Macker Coming to Portales

by: Amber Knox

For the first year ever, Gus Macker is coming to Portales, and it’s time to get your team registered, sign up to volunteer, and mark your calendars for a weekend full of basketball and fun.

The tournament is scheduled for the weekend of June 21- 22nd. Courts will be set up in the main parking area of the ENMU Steve Loy Family Foundation Stadium. Food trucks, Gus Macker Threads, facilities, a medical tent, and special events like a DJ and a face painter will be set up in the grassy area near the courts. This is a dry event.

The entry fee is $160 per team of up to four players. Teams can register, read the rules, and find more information at macker.com.

The Gus Macker tournament features three-on-three basketball for all skill levels, from 8U to an over-thirty-five division. There will also be a “Top Men’s” division for more experienced players over the age of 18.

After last year’s Summer Jam success, Jodi Diaz reached out to the organization, and Portales was added to the national tour. RCCDC, Roosevelt County Community Development Corporation, is hosting and cosponsoring with ENMU, and a Gus Macker committee has been formed.

Diaz said they are hoping to have 150 teams sign up. This is not only an event for the Portales Community, but teams will be traveling from out of town and will most likely be staying overnight, bringing in business to local restaurants and hotels.

Winners of each division will receive a trophy. The first two teams to lose back-to-back games get to compete in the “Toilet Bowl” for the toilet trophy.

Gus Macker was founded in 1974 by Scott McNeal. What began as a small gathering of friends in a Michigan driveway has spread throughout the nation. Their mission statement reads, “At Gus Macker, we’re on a mission to promote the values of teamwork, sportsmanship, and community engagement. We believe that the court is a place where friendships are forged, and memories are made. Whether you’re a seasoned baller or just starting out, there’s a place for you in the Gus Macker family.”

Aside from teams, the Gus Macker committee is looking for volunteers to work registration, keep score, set up, tear down, etc. If a school group, such as a high school basketball team, volunteers, they will receive a donation from the committee afterward for their time.

If you would like to volunteer or would like more information, you can contact Jodi Diaz with RCCDC at 575-356-8541 or email jodi.diaz@portales.com