SPOKANE, Wash. — We are now just over a month away from Hoopfest in Spokane! The largest 3-on-3 basketball tournament on earth is seeing a big uptick in registrations which means the need for more court monitors!
According to organizers, registration for the tournament is up 20% compared to 2023 at this same time. Organizers added that the registration numbers are Hoopfest’s best since 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic.
One volunteer told KREM 2 that Hoopfest has more than 500 volunteers signed up for this year, but they added that they need around 2,000 volunteers this year.
Court monitor volunteers must sign up before Friday, June 14. Being a court monitor is a full weekend commitment and volunteers must take part in a two-hour traiining seminar to get ready and prepared for the action. Court monitors can choose to monitor youth, high school or adult courts and they also have the choice to monitor male, female or co-ed games. Court monitors on youth courts (grades 2-9) will call all fouls.
All volunteers will receive a Hoopfest t-shirt and court monitors will receive a package of Under Armour gear, including shoes.
Hoopfest this year is on June 29 and 30. The two-day event features upwards of 500 teams playing on 400 courts throughout downtown Spokane.
With such a large tournament being put on, there are several volunteer roles that need to be filled. You can sign up online, here. Volunteer roles include:
- Court monitors - Court Monitors are perhaps the most crucial event volunteer. They supervise around 35 games on their court during the tournament, enforcing tournament rules and the time schedule while maintaining the Spirit of Hoopfest. Volunteer court monitors must attend specific training and complete a different volunteer application than other volunteers. They are also asked to volunteer for the duration of the two-day tournament. Court monitors receive Under Armour gear for volunteering their time, including shoes, shorts, T-shirts and hat.
- Beverage distribution - Beverage Distribution is for volunteers who are very detail-oriented. This area involves tracking inventory and controlling the distribution of inventory to Hoopfest-approved vendors. This position may require certain volunteers to lift and carry heavy bags of ice and pulling heavy carts with ice, water and soda.
- Computer input - Computer Input is a volunteer opportunity where game scores received from the master scoreboard are then input into computers in order to update the tournament brackets placed on the Hoopfest website.
- Festival area - Festival Area volunteers assist in the family fun zone. Volunteers take tickets, help children with games and supervise them on rides.
- Lunch program - Lunch Program is responsible for the preparation and coordination of the volunteer lunch program. Lunch preparation volunteers prepare the lunches prior to the Hoopfest weekend.
- Center court scoring - Center Court Scoring volunteers run the scoreboard at the elite center court.
- Master scoreboard - Master Scoreboard is the center of the event in Riverfront Park and is where players come to find out the status of all games. The scoreboard is responsible for recording and displaying all the scores of tournament games. This area involves filing and recording of information.
- Merchandise - Merchandise (Hoopfest Store) is the one place at the event where participants can purchase Hoopfest merchandise. Volunteers may help stock merchandise and assist with customers. Knowledge of retail is not required.
- Monitor headquarters - Monitor Headquarters Volunteers for this area will participate either Thursday before Hoopfest and/ or the Sunday of Hoopfest. Headquarter volunteers will assist with the monitor check-in and check-out procedures.
- Sponsor garden - Sponsor Garden is a VIP area for event sponsors and key volunteers to take a break and enjoy a snack or beverage. This area involves controlling crowd access into the Garden, handing out food and beverages, and keeping tables clean.
- Team check-in - Team Check-In is responsible for distributing team packets to all teams that have enrolled in Hoopfest. Some volunteers greet teams while others retrieve team packets and T-shirts. Volunteers must be able to lift boxes and stand and walk on uneven surfaces. Volunteers for “Thursday Set-up” and “Friday Tear Down” must be mobile and able to lift heavy boxes. Volunteers for Saturday morning, must have previous experience with Team Check-In.
- Contest courts - Volunteers assist with the shooting contests located within the Bennett Block. Volunteers are needed to shag balls, take tickets and check-in participants.
- Information tent - The info tent located in the park and throughout the site. Volunteers in this area assist players and fans with tournament information and wayfinding.
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