On Thursday February 9, 2017 from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. at Independence High School a new event will be taking place to raise funds for both Butler and Independence athletic programs. It is being planned as a fun event between the two local rivals. With both schools having a principal with the name of Legrand this is how the event was named. David Legrand at Independence and John LeGrand at Butler.
Each school is putting together a basketball “Dream Team” made up of coaches and faculty to play in a fund raising basketball game. The format is to play four 5 minute running clock periods. The Athletic Directors will select their team and serve as coaches for each squad. At the intermission midway through the game each school will designate two players from their current varsity teams to participate in a 3-point shot competition. Followed by performances from each schools cheerleaders will take place at the intermission. Then there will be a drawing allowing three students from each school to compete in a half-court shot competition with an opportunity to win $100. All six participants will receive a coupon from “The Hill” located in Mint Hill on Lawyers Road for 14 free wings just for participating. Also, there will be a hot shot competition and a 3-point shooting contest between the principals. Finally, at the end of the basketball game the principals will return to play a game of 1 on 1.
After the principals spar on the court preparing for the anticipated aches and sore muscles for the next week there will be a trophy presentation made to the winning school. The winning school will get to keep the trophy for one year until next year’s competition. A number of college programs have similar traditions with their arch rivals such as Duke/UNC Chapel Hill Victory Bell, Army/Navy, Alabama/Auburn and various others throughout the country.
The event is a 100% athletic fund raiser for both schools. Every spectator who attends the event will receive a $5.00 ticket to select which school and sport they support. Each individual $5.00 entry will go directly to the school and sport designated. Therefore, for example if Independence receives 200 tickets for basketball the Indy basketball team will receive $1,000. The same process would apply to the other sport teams designated by the spectators for each school’s athletic programs.
This event should be a great venue in preparation for the anticipated season finale basketball contest between the Bulldogs and Patriots who are on a collision course to decide who will be the Conference Champion.
