Off The Bench: Eliminating a Memory

See HHSAA Board Votes

The HHSAA Executive Board voted in favor of eliminating the parade of teams during halftime of the State Boys and Girls Basketball Tournaments.  By the way, there was no need for discussion on this one – the vote was a unanimous 95-0.

The justifications could be many.  It may have taken too much time.  Teams did not want to have to attend the championship game just for this purpose.  Outer island teams wanted to do something else on their last night in Honolulu.

This was an unfortunate decision.  Having broadcasted the championship games over the years for radio, I always looked forward to the halftime tradition of seeing all the players and coaches one last time together on the floor.  For all teams, it is the common goal to make it to the State Tournament.  At this halftime moment, it is the last time each team will be together as a unit, standing on the floor of the greatest venue for basketball, hearing the cheers and relishing in what their hard work and dedication has given each of them.  

Few high school student-athletes get the opportunity to play in a state tournament.  Even fewer will excel and create highlights on the court.  On a 12-person roster, roughly 5 of them will never see the court.  Multiply that by 12 teams in a tournament and that is 60 players.  Multiply that by 4 tournaments and…

Coaches and athletes will tell you that it is very difficult to make it to the state tournament.  It is even more difficult to return in ensuing years.  Like anything in life, there are only a few that are part of the elite. 

Too much time?  I’m sure the halftime was extended a bit.  But the ceremony was not elaborate and it did not take much effort to have 16-17 year olds simply walk out on the court in a line with their coaches. 

In August the Summer Olympics will begin in China and for about 12 years there have been discussions to eliminate the traditional Parade of Nations during the Opening Ceremony.  Some of the reasons sound familiar – too much time, some athletes/teams not wanting to participate (mainly because competition started the next day).
But as NBC’s Bob Costas and Tom Brokaw noted during one of the television broadcasts of the Opening Ceremony, this is the only time for a significant majority of the athletes to be recognized as a member of their country’s team in such grand fashion.  And the memories for these athletes will last a lifetime.