Students can come out Saturday and have a ball with Sports Management Alliance; a basketball to be more specific.

SMA will be holding its sixth annual three on three basketball tournament in the Perry Field house from 1 to 5 p.m.

President of SMA, Emily Garr, joined her freshman year to gain practical experience and network with other sports management students.

SMA was designed to give students the opportunity to become involved professionally in sports management and to learn the latest knowledge in the field of sports management, Garr said.

The event’s main sponsor is the Enclave II, which donated more than $500 for the event.

Students should have a team of four people and a completed registration form, which is available at Eppler 236C. There is an $18 registration fee for students who sign up any day before the event and $20 the day of the tournament.

Event manager of SMA Imani Thomas has been working hard for the past several months to ensure a successful event.

“This is our biggest event and it usually takes the whole year to plan,” Thomas said. “We have to secure a venue, get sponsors and promote the event, but the end result is always rewarding.”

Thomas has been with SMA for approximately three years and calls it her stepping-stone to getting into the sports marketing industry.

The three on three tournament is SMA’s biggest fundraising event of the school year, usually getting about 13 to 18 teams to participate.

“Since it started six years ago it has gained great popularity and has become the model for other organizations to conduct similar tournaments,” future president of SMA Macgregor Perkins said.

The money from this event will go toward future events including offsetting the cost for SMA members who attend job fairs and paying for guest speakers.

Perkins’ ultimate goal is to use his experience with SMA to one day become a general manager for a major league baseball team.

SMA currently has more than 50 members and hopes to get even more after the tournament.

“Anyone can join sports management alliance not just sports management majors,” Perkins said.

Prizes will be given to the first place winners and the runner up of the tournament. There will also be a raffle for those in attendance.

Other events taking place Saturday during the tournament include a three-point shoot-out and a game of knockout. Anyone can participate for $1, and possibly win a prize if determined a winner.

For more information or to sign up contact Imani Thomas at [email protected].