P.E.I. hoops tourney celebrates milestone

Confederation City Classic, hosted by Charlottetown Rural High School, attracts top teams from across Maritimes

Author of the article: Jason Simmonds

One of the region’s premier high school basketball tournaments celebrated a milestone last weekend.

The Confederation City Classic, hosted by Charlottetown Rural High School, celebrated its 40th edition, which attracted top senior AAA-level teams from across the Maritimes.

“This tournament is an amazing tournament in that it is a whole school endeavour from students to staff,” said Esther Hovingh, who joined the Charlottetown Rural staff as a physical education teacher in 2005 and spent seven years as athletic director before retiring following the 2023-24 school year. “Without that support, we couldn’t offer it the way it is.

“Everything from students being hosts; serving oranges to the teams, selling tickets at the door, and students being allowed to come out during class to watch both a men’s and women’s game, it’s great for school spirit that way and the kids get to know who the kids are who are playing on the teams.

“There are good crowds (for those games) and lots of enthusiasm.

“It’s very special that the staff helps in such a large way the way they do.”

History

Les MacKay, a member of the organizing committee for the last 29 years, noted the Confederation City Classic began as a girls’ tournament in 1982. It expanded to include boys in 1996 and has featured both girls’ and boys’ divisions since.

There have been a couple of years when no tournament champions were crowned because of COVID-19 and the weather.

This year’s event attracted 20 teams – 10 boys and 10 girls.

“It’s a great opportunity to play some strong competition,” said Nicole Davies, head coach of the Charlottetown Rural senior AAA girls’ team. “Hosting such a large tournament is always exciting as it gives the school and community an opportunity to see the caliber of high school basketball in the Maritime provinces and how we stack up.”

This year’s edition of the Raiders finished fourth overall in girls’ play. North Nova edged Charlottetown Rural 65-63 in a nail-biting bronze-medal game.

With the Confederation City Classic taking place early in January, Davies said having the opportunity to play some of the top teams in the Maritimes is a great way to start what is always a busy second half leading up to the provincial playoffs.

“It gives us a chance to see how we compare with other schools – see our strengths and areas of improvement for the remainder of our regular season.”

The host Charlottetown Rural boys finished 1-3 (won-lost).

Longtime volunteer

Another longtime tournament volunteer is Charles Keliher, who has had three sons play in the Confederation City Classic with Charlottetown Rural.

Keliher became involved as a parent in the late 1990s and got a call from MacKay one day asking if he would be interested in working with the organizing committee.

Keliher’s involvement in recent years has been a liaison between the parents and organizing committee and assisting with public relations.

“What I find is special about this is the community side and the involvement of obviously the staff and administration, custodial (staff) and people at the school,” said Keliher. “We have great sponsors in the community, the athletes get to play before their friends here at the school and it’s a great opportunity for everybody to come together and put on a fantastic tournament together.

“The comments we get from parents from outside Prince Edward Island who come, and the coaches and athletes, are just phenomenal.”

More than basketball

Organizers have strived to make participating in the Confederation City Classic more than just playing basketball. One of the most popular events of the weekend is the tournament social on Friday nights.

“With the player social on Friday night and the pizza party with the dance, it’s such a great thing in the courtyard at the Rodd,” said Hovingh. “The kids love that and they get a game on Saturday morning as well, so they don’t feel they have to leave on Friday night if they didn’t win.”

Contributors

Another highlight of the Confederation City Classic is recognizing contributors to the sport of basketball. The event has named an honorary chairperson or chairpersons every year since 1997.

“We try to recognize people who have contributed to the tournament in a great way,” said MacKay, who added the tournament is fortunate to receive strong support from sponsors.

“The cost of officials is very high and the sponsors, from year to year, are able to come back and allows us to put on a quality tournament from not only a players’ perspective but from a financial perspective,” said MacKay. “We are able to cover our costs and are able to make a few dollars that go back into the (Charlottetown Rural) basketball program.”

Acknowledge volunteers

Stanley Chaisson and Ian Barnes are sharing Charlottetown Rural’s athletic director roles since Hovingh’s retirement.

“We are very lucky we inherited a tournament that has been built up for decades and is now a well-oiled, well-run machine,” said Barnes, who has been involved with the Confederation City Classic for six years. “We wanted to make sure it continued to function as well as it possibly could and that was really what our role is – work with the organizing committee to make sure the athletes have the best possible experience they can have.”

Chaisson, who has taught at Rural and been involved with the tournament for eight years, praised the efforts of organizers.

“To be behind the scenes and see the inner workings and how everyone contributes – staff, parents, community – it’s a tremendous amount of work and takes great effort from the committee,” said Chaisson. “I have great respect for all the work that has been done in the past… It’s a well-oiled machine, so stepping in a role where there are so many working elements to it, I have a lot of gratitude for all the work that has been done up to this year.”

Reunions

The Confederation City Classic also provides an opportunity for a reunion of sorts for the basketball community.

“One of the things I find great about the tournament, for as long as I have been around, is you see people who are spectators who were basketball kids, who then became players, who then became coaches either here at the school or at other schools or organizations within the community,” said Keliher. “That is such a large dividend about this tournament is people who participated in this tournament and may not be involved in this tournament but are somewhere out in the community giving back supporting basketball, student-athletes and it’s wonderful.”

Next year

Barnes and Chaisson said organizers will assess how this year’s event went before beginning the planning work for the 2026 tournament.

Invitations for next year will go out before the end of the school year. Chaisson noted the teams, in all likelihood, will be set before the summer.

“We have teams telling us, ‘Please let us know if a team can’t make it,’” said Chaisson. “We take that as a compliment for the testament to the history of the tournament, and the reputation it has around the Maritimes.”

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Did you know?

Some facts about the Confederation City Classic:

• This year’s tournament attracted a total of 20 senior AAA-level teams – 10 girls and 10 boys.
• The Citadel Phoenix of Halifax defeated the CP Allen Cheetahs of Bedford, N.S., 77-64 in the girls’ final.
• CP Allen outscored Halifax West 80-70 in the boys’ championship game.
• Former Charlottetown Rural principal Dale McIsaac was selected as the honorary chair for the 2025 tournament. McIsaac’s involvement in the sport over the years includes playing, officiating and coaching more than 150 teams throughout his career.
• A total of eight gymnasiums throughout P.E.I. hosted Confederation City Classic games this year.