NORWICH – “I've been to over 40 cities and Norwich has always been my favorite,” said Bill Gorman, Gus Macker tournament director of Norwich.
In its 23rd year, the Norwich Gus Macker remains a favorite of the Team Macker Staff as the 3-on-3 tournament takes over East Main Street.
When the staff arrives up to three days before the tournament starts, they are greeted like natives of Norwich –– and as if 365 days didn't go by since their last visit.
Driving anywhere from an hour, up to 12 hours, the same familiar faces of the Macker staff request to be here, in our small city in Upstate New York. But why do they keep wanting to come to a tournament so far away?
“You're treated just like family,” said Gorman. “From Muzzy and Aunt Hazel [Angelo and Hazel Muzzerli] having the whole Macker staff over to eat dinner, to Tom Revoir and Jamey Mullen doing whatever it takes to have a good time. And they put out a great tournament: every year at the Norwich Macker, it's like a reunion.”
For Gorman, this his 17th year returning to Norwich. “Norwich was the very first tournament I had ever worked. It's always meant a lot more to me than any of the other tournaments because it was my first taste," he said.
“For Norwich to be my first, it was unique experience because how the town really embraces everything about it. I never saw and still haven't seen anything similar.”
Before joining the staff in 2001, Gorman had played in Gus Macker tournaments for 15 years before being asked by the Macker company to become an employee.
Gorman said what really stands out about the tournament held in Norwich is the atmosphere.
“It's like a festival of basketball. Everyone is just excited. From when the line starts to form at the fire hall at 3 p.m. – even though registration doesn't open until 4 p.m. – to the amount of people that stand on the sidewalks to watch in a city with a population of 6,000 to 8,000 people,” said Gorman. “You just don't see that in other cities.”
The Norwich Gus Macker continues being the largest 3-on-3 tournament in the New York circuit. Other cities that host a Macker tournament in the state are Olean, Hornell, Rochester, Cicero and Jamestown.
Gorman said that Norwich has become the standard. As the other New York tournaments began, the Gus Macker executives tell the local tournament directors to head to Norwich to see how its done right. “It's a blue print really,” said Gorman.
He continued, "When people first come into Norwich, they see the hotel sign “Welcome Macker Guest," the food, the venue, the restaurants, people are excited. We always go to the same place for team dinner, Nina's on Friday's. I have been there for 17 years in a row. It's just so unique. In fact, there have been a number of year's now that I come in on Thursday night because you make so many close friends with this job, it really sets the table for every place else."
