North Adams hosts Coach Young Classic, honoring legacy and raising funds

North Adams High School hosted the annual Coach Young Classic on Jan. 13, bringing together regional high school basketball teams for a day of competition and community remembrance. The tournament, staged in the school gym, served both as a memorial to Coach Young and as a fundraiser to support student-athlete programs in Adams County.

Games ran across multiple time slots, with scheduled tip-offs beginning in the morning and continuing through the evening to accommodate boys and girls matchups and to allow visiting teams from across the county and nearby districts to participate. Organizers provided ticket and admission information to spectators in advance, noting streamlined gate procedures to keep lines moving and to maximize game-time attendance.

The Classic has become a fixture on the local winter-sports calendar, drawing families, alumni and youth players who come to watch competitive matchups and to honor a coach who played a notable role in the county’s basketball community. Tournament organizers combined on-court competition with a remembrance program and fundraising activities; proceeds from ticket sales and concessions were directed to school athletic needs and programs that benefit student-athletes in the district.

For local vendors and downtown businesses, the Classic created midday and evening traffic as fans arrived for scheduled games, eat locally and supported concession stands. Small events like this often provide meaningful, if modest, boosts to nearby restaurants and retailers on otherwise slow winter days. For school budgets that face tightening constraints, revenues from gate receipts and donation drives help keep equipment, travel and program costs manageable for teams that compete across the region.

Spectators and participating schools were given contact details by North Adams High School’s athletic office for scheduling questions, gate policies and fundraising information. Coaches and athletic directors used the tournament to scout competition ahead of the remainder of the season and to give younger players experience in a multi-game, tournament environment.

The Classic also reinforced community ties: alumni volunteering at the event helped run score tables and concessions, while families attending multiple games kept the gym noisy and supportive for players. For students, playing in a tournament dedicated to a respected local coach added emotional significance to the usual midseason rhythm.

The takeaway? The Coach Young Classic did more than produce winners and losers on the scoreboard— it reinforced community support for Adams County student-athletes, generated modest revenue for school programs and kept Coach Young’s legacy alive in a way that benefits current teams. If you missed this year’s games, touch base with the North Adams High athletic office to learn how to contribute to the memorial efforts or to get on the mailing list for next year’s Classic. Our two cents? Show up early, bring cash for concessions, and come ready to support the county’s kids.