This previous Friday, UNICEF sponsored the a knockout competition at the new Alex Betzhold Memorial Basketball court. Even though it was advertised that the goal was to bet the Guinness World Record that the Dallas Mavericks set with 702 participants in a knockout competition, there were only 402 participants in attendance, but in the atmosphere it was obvious the real goal was reached.

“What I love the most, and I think I can speak for Alex too, Alex always got excited when there was fellowship in any activity that he was involved with” Alex’s mother Mary Betzhold said. “He just had a ball being with other people, and that’s what we saw in the knockout court was just really people coming together and just having fun.”

This upcoming weekend is the annual Shot for the Stars event, created by Steve Sheridan after the passing of Alex, and this year Sheridan thought up the idea to have a knockout competition on the new Alex Betzhold Memorial Basketball courts that were constructed a few months ago by the Shoot for the Stars committee in dedication of Alex. It will start at nine o’clock on the basketball court with a few words from fellow Argyle students: Marley Straubmueller, Todd Mead, and Maddie Lopez, followed by a balloon release in memory and in honor of loved ones in the community. Around 9:30 the famous three-on-three basketball tournament will start, and right after is the UNICEF color run at 1:30.

“I feel like just because the whole community comes together it does keep his name alive and that we’re allowed to share what kind of impact Alex had on the people he know, with the whole community,” four year member of the Shoot for the Stars committee Pamela Arrington said.