After humble beginnings, the Scheitrum Classic has grown each year. This year’s event maxed out the usage of the main and auxiliary gyms at Emmaus High School over the first weekend in November, welcoming area basketball teams in an effort to raise money and awareness for the American Cancer Society.

This year’s event also raised money for a local woman and her family who are battling cancer.

In all, 18 teams signed up to play in the basketball tournament, with two teams having to withdraw at the last minute because of illnesses and a lack of players. Both varsity and junior varsity teams competed, with Emmaus’ varsity team finishing the weekend 3-2 and the junior varsity squad going 1-3.

“For myself and my family, this is so special,” said Carl Scheitrum, coach of the Emmaus girls basketball team. “This is year four and it just seems that every year gets better and more exciting. We have 18 teams and what’s neat is that we have so many teams that have been here before and have come back, which is a testament to the people who run this event and organize it.

“I’ve met so many people over the last couple of years here and they really enjoy this tournament. I have to give my thanks to Mrs. [Michelle] Huber and Mr. [Paul] Burkhart and the entire Three-Point Club.”

Scheitrum’s wife, Lynn fought a courageous battle against cancer and passed away in the summer of 2014. The tournament initially was inspired by Lynn Scheitrum’s battle and continues to grow.

This year, the booster club announced it will donate $750 to the American Cancer Society and $500 to Megan Williams and her family. Megan, whose husband is a coach in East Penn Emmaus Midget Football Association, is battling cancer.

Williams is also a member of the Emmaus Babes flag football team, which is a team of youth football moms that played against counterparts from other teams last year and this year took on the Emmaus middle school football team.

“It’s a wonderful feeling that we can not only have an opportunity for youth athletes to play basketball, but we’re contributing to a cause that is so near and dear to my family and to so many families,” said Scheitrum, who opens his second season as the girls basketball head coach at Emmaus. “We’re also helping to contribute to another coach, whose wife is going through cancer treatments right now, so some of the money goes to the American Cancer Society and some will stay very local.”

Scheitrum is happy with how his team played in the tournament and is excited since the school is reporting high numbers of tryouts from girls in high school down through youth programs, giving a lot of hope for the future of the program.

On an even more important level, Scheitrum is proud of how his players rally for the tournament and how their families help to make the weekend a success.

“I am just in love with my team,” said Scheitrum. “The energy that we had this week getting ready for this tournament, they are as involved and as interested in this weekend as my family is, and their families are all involved, so it’s a great organization.”

The tournament is organized and run by the Emmaus Three-Point Club, with the outgoing president, Michelle Huber, making the tournament a high priority of the booster club each year.

Incoming president Paul Burkhart will keep things going as the club looks forward to another season and continuing to grow the tournament next fall. Scheitrum was quick to point out the hard work that Huber and Burkhart and all of the members of the booster club put into making the Scheitrum Classic successful.

“It’s really a great thing to see everyone from the booster club to the families, to the players, all come together and take an interest in this and put the work into it that makes it successful,” said Scheitrum. “I can’t even begin to express how appreciative I am to them for what they do on the tournament and all year long for Emmaus basketball.”