The Smoky Mountain Christmas Tournament is an annual basketball event held in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, that brings together high school varsity teams from across the Southeast and beyond. This prestigious tournament offers a unique opportunity for players to showcase their skills and compete against top-tier competition in the picturesque setting of the Great Smoky Mountains.
Dates and Venue
The Smoky Mountain Christmas Tournament is typically held in late December, with the 2021 edition taking place from December 20-22, 2021. The 2024 tournament is scheduled for December 19-21, 2024. The event is hosted at the Rocky Top Sports World facility, a state-of-the-art sports complex located in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.
Participating Teams
The Smoky Mountain Christmas Tournament features a diverse array of high school basketball teams, both boys and girls, from across the region. The tournament is divided into four brackets of eight teams each for both the boys’ and girls’ divisions, with teams assigned to brackets based on factors such as school size, skill level, and coaches’ input.
Girls’ Teams
The girls’ tournament includes teams from states such as Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee, Virginia, and South Carolina. Some of the notable participating schools are Barbourville (KY), Baylor (TN), Briarwood Christian (AL), Cascade (TN), Clay County (KY), Cookeville (TN), Cordova (AL), and Dora (AL).
Boys’ Teams
The boys’ tournament features teams from Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee, South Carolina, Florida, New York, and Georgia. Some of the participating schools include Briarwood Christian (AL), Brooks (AL), Calvary Christian (KY), Corbin (KY), Corner (AL), Dora (AL), and Estill County (KY).
Tournament Format
The Smoky Mountain Christmas Tournament is designed to provide a high-level, competitive experience for participating teams. The format includes:
- Open to girls’ and boys’ high school varsity programs
- Four brackets of eight teams each for both boys and girls
- Teams assigned to brackets based on criteria such as school size, skill level, and coaches’ input
- Efforts made to keep district and region teams from facing each other, though not always possible
Contact Information and Additional Details
For more information about the Smoky Mountain Christmas Tournament, interested parties can contact the event organizer at [email protected] or 865-436-5637. The tournament is part of the Smoky Mountain Classic Series, and coaches can register using the appropriate registration link on the Smoky Mountain Sports website.
References
- https://rockytopsportsworld.com/events/smoky-mountain-christmas-classic/
- https://www.smokymountainsports.org
- https://rockytopsportsworld.com/events/smoky-mountain-christmas-classic-2024/
- https://www.smokymountainsports.org/program/smoky-mtn-christmas-classic/9015
- https://www.coacht.com/boards/index.php?%2Ftopic%2F271641-smokey-mountain-christmas-classic%2F