Grand Rapids Public School graduates and elementary school friends look to have a positive impact on the youth in Grand Rapids. Organizers say an upcoming Annual Labor Day Basketball tournament creates a space for the city’s youth. This, as the city continues to experience an uptick in violence.
This is the 3rd year for the “All-in” Labor Day High School Basketball tournament. Event Founder and Director of “All In Sports”, Dominic Shannon, along with elementary school friend, Landon Mitchner, the event organizer, share their love of basketball with the city’s youth. Shannon and Mitchner have been friends since attending Dickinson Elementary together. Both have been involved in collegiate, semi pro or coaching of basketball since their elementary days. They now seek to help young people in Grand Rapids with the game and a lot more. Here’s Dominic Shannon.
“A lot of young men and ladies have aspirations of reaching the collegiate level to continue their athletic and scholar careers and we want to be a hub for them. Making sure they have info pertaining body and muscle development, also having information pertaining to colleges, SAT prep, ACT prep.”
Shannon says the event will highlight nearly 40 high school basketball players. All In Sports not only provides the annual tournament, but seeks throughout the year to prepare student athletes for their future with an emphasis on education. Shannon adds the tournament helps provide a space for the city’s youth especially as it deals with an uptick in violence. He says they recently hosted their second annual gun violence which addressed a lot of questions from city youth.
“Yes, there has been an uptick. but what we want to do, is to educate. It’s not just about basketball. Basketball is the magnet. And once we have the young men and young women’s attention, we want to disperse information to them so they can continue to grow and become vital members of our society.”
The event is open to the public and will be held Monday, Labor Day, from 3 to 7:30 p.m. at Dickinson park. If you want more information about All in Sports, you can visit them on Instagram, Facebook at
“All-In Sports Club” or online at allinsportsclub.com
