NORWICH – This year marks the 15th year of Norwich’s Gus Macker 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament. As tournament director, Tom Revoir has organized all but the very first of these weekend-long events.

Sponsored annually by the Norwich Family YMCA, “Macker” as it is almost universally known, draws more than 1,700 players and some 10,000 spectators each July.

According to Revoir, who took over the tournament reins from Jamey Mullen following that first successful year, the event has evolved over time.

“It’s pretty amazing, to be honest with you,” he said. In its inaugural year, Macker attracted 200 teams, but only after the deadline was extended.

From there, “it took off like wildfire,” he said. In the second year, they topped 300. By year four, Revoir’s third as tournament director, registrations climbed to 585 teams. Since then, however, they’ve scaled things back, limiting the competition to 400 teams. It wasn’t that they were finding it difficult to find teams, but rather, finding an adequate number of people to serve as referees, known as Gus Busters.

“We determined that we did not have the volunteer base to support an event that big,” he explained.

Even at its present size, it is often a daunting task to ensure that an adequate number of people each year to serve as not only Gus Busters, scorekeepers, work registration, do the set up and tear down, etc.

When the tournament director says he thinks teams come back to Norwich year after year because of how well the tournament is run, he’s not trying to toot his own horn. He attributes the event’s popularity and continued success to the legion of dedicated volunteers who make it happen every year.

“There are no if’s, and’s or but’s about it,” Revoir said. “This tournament would not run without the volunteers.”

There are a few key people in particular, who he is sure to mention when talking about the strengths of the event. First and foremost among them are Head Buster Mark Abbott and Super Buster Steve Benenati, who handle scheduling of the entire crew of Busters, as well as training and much more behind the scenes. Nancy Snell, who oversees vendors and concessions, also deserves credit, he said, as does Joyce Hagen, who handles the financial side of the tournament.

“Thank God we’ve got Gary,” he added, referring to Man of the Year Gary Brightman, who coordinates set up and tear down of all 33 basketball courts. Revoir said he’s happy to lend a hand with this aspect of the event, but he’s glad he doesn’t have to take the lead on it.