The National Christian HomeSchool Basketball Championships are underway in Springfield.
The tournament runs through Friday.
More than 360 teams from across the country will use 25 gym floors across the greater Springfield area.
More than 10,000 people are expected to attend.
This marks the 13th year the event has taken place in Springfield, making it the largest annual group event in the city.
The MSHSAA basketball championships continue March 17-19 at JQH Arena and Hammons Student Center.
Press Release
More than 10,000 people are expected to attend the National Christian HomeSchool Basketball Championships today through Friday in Springfield.
With more than 360 teams from all over the country scheduled to play, the event will generate about 8,000 room nights in area hotels and attendees are expected to spend $4.2 million while in the city for lodging, food, shopping, entertainment, etc.
The tournament takes places the same week as the Missouri State High School Activities Association state basketball tournament March 10-12 and 17-19 at JQH Arena and Hammons Student Center on the campus oft Missouri State University. About 40,000 people are expected to attend the MSHSAA tournament with up to 6,000 room nights generated and spending of about $2.5 million.
“For the second consecutive week, Springfield will be the place to be for basketball action,” said Lance Kettering, executive director of the Springfield Sports Commission. “While the National Christian HomeSchool Championships are here March 14-18, 362 teams will call Springfield home for the week. This coupled with Missouri State High School Activities Assoc. Class 4, 5 and 6 state championships at JQH Arena and Hammons Student Center make for a very exciting week of basketball action.”
The National Christian HomeSchool Basketball Championships will utilize 25 gym floors across the greater Springfield area and the public is invited to attend.
The first National Christian Homeschool Basketball Championship was in 1992 in San Antonio, Texas. Since then, the tournament has also been in Sante Fe, New Mexico; Estes Park, Colorado; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; and Springfield.
This marks the 13th year the event has taken place in Springfield, making it the largest annual group event in the city.
“Springfield has been the perfect place for the Homeschool Nationals,” said Zack Stargell, one of the tournament organizers. “The central location and interstate roads make travel to Springfield easy for most of our teams. When trying to decide where to move nationals, the Springfield Sports Commission and Visitors Bureau was instrumental in showing us the great infrastructure, facilities and hotels Springfield had to offer. As facilities continue to pop up and the high schools continue to improve their gyms, we look forward to a continued partnership. The local businesses, hotels, and restaurants have been very supportive of the NCHBC and the 3,000 athletes plus 7,000 fans and coaches that come into town.”
Other sports hosted by the organization include track and field, soccer, cross country, volleyball and golf, some of which began and continue taking place in Springfield.
Learn more at https://www.nchclive.com/.
The tournament is one of many amateur sports events brought to Springfield through the efforts of the Springfield Sports Commission and the Convention & Visitors Bureau, nonprofit organizations dedicated to growing the local economy through growth in tourism. The sports commission is managed by the CVB.
