by Preston McConnell |

Every year, the Liberty Blue Jays athletic department and the men’s basketball team put on a highly respected tournament. The tournament is named after coach C.W. Stessman, and it is called the Stessman tournament.

The history behind this tournament goes way back to 42 years ago when Coach Stessman wanted to put on a basketball tournament for the basketball community of Liberty.

“The tournament is named after Coach C.W. Stessman who started the tournament 42 years ago. He thought it’d be great for the basketball community of Liberty. It is where it is today from the efforts of the Liberty Basketball team,” Coach Roger Stirtz said about Stessman and why he started the tournament.

Putting this tournament together takes a little bit of help from everyone, from the basketball team to the athletic director. To play in this tournament the teams must be selected and there was teams from all over Missouri. The high schools were Center, St. Joe Central, Springfield Kickapoo, Liberty, Liberty North, Summit Christian Academy, Olathe East and Raytown. The tournament is over a span of three days, starting on Thursday the 17, with the championship day at 2:30 on Saturday the 19 of January.

“It’s really a total team effort from administration, to the program. A lot of the credit goes to athletic director Jason Cahill and Trish Middleton,” Stirtz said.

The all around support and effort that has been put in over the years for the Stessman tournament has really helped it gain it’s popularity over the years. The players get excited to have a big tournament on their home court with the Cokley Crazies cheering them on.

“[We are] More pumped up this year than any other because we are playing for Jack, and this was Jack’s favorite time of the year,” junior Brandyn Moultrie said.

“Yeah we get more excited for the tournament because we get to play on our own court with our fans,” senior Cody Winters said.

The team lost a valuable supporter right before the tournament this year, Jack Smith.

“The thing different I felt is that there was a lot more going on with Jacks passing and to balance my involvement with Jacks situation and preparing the team has been a challenge,” Stirtz said about any pressure he was feeling with hosting the Stessman tournament.

Liberty’s goal was to go in and win the tournament for Jack and the school.

“We have one goal and that’s to make it to the championship and win,” Moultrie said.

The team fell short of their standards by achieving third place in the tournament, but still ended up beating their across town rival, Liberty North, who finished fifth.