Schools to host Kate Conlon Basketball Tournament

St. Raymond Parish School, Lincoln Junior High School and St. Viator High School will host the 26th annual Kate Conlon Basketball Tournament Thursday through Sunday, Dec. 7-10.

A total of 24 eighth-grade girls basketball teams from the Northwest suburbs will compete this year with an anticipated 700 fans attending. Games will be played at all three schools, with the championship games for the three brackets being held at St. Raymond's Parish Life Center (gym) on the final day of tournament action. All tournament games are open to the general public.

The tournament came about after three 14-year-old Prospect High School freshman girls died in a car accident in 1991.

One of the youngsters, Kate Conlon, was a graduate of St. Raymond School. She and her family were longtime parishioners of St. Raymond Church. Kate was a talented athlete who enjoyed participating in basketball, volleyball, cheerleading and intramural sports.

A group of Kate's friends and neighbors wanted to do something to remember her love of athletics and, thus, the tournament was created.

The tournament this year will be welcoming numerous schools from the Chicago area. Participating coaches from past tournaments continually comment that this is "one of the best girls basketball tournaments in the area, especially due to its energetic spirit and warm hospitality."

"As each year passes, we are blessed to see this tournament continue to grow in size and notoriety," said the Rev. Edward Panek, pastor at St. Raymond.

"This year we will be partnering with Lincoln Junior High School and St. Viator High School to provide courts for all the games. We are proud to host this tournament as a living memory to Kate and for others who want to excel in their athletic talents."

For more tournament information, contact Rich Murawski at (847) 636-9048 or email r.murawski@ymail.com. For tournament game times and locations, visit http://www.srsathletics.org/my-tournament.