For over 20 years, Cotter basketball has a holiday tradition of competing in the Warrior Club tournament at WSU.

Since he first moved to Winona in n1996 Dr. Paul Morgan has been involved with the Warrior Club  event, which helps raise funds for the Winona State athletic programs.

As a leader of  the tournament committee, he helps organize singers for the national anthems, half time entertainment, and as the tournament goes on he finds his way to the scorers table and helps with the official book, or the clock.

    Morgan says, “If you ask anyone involved with the holiday basketball tournament, they will all say that Mark Patterson is the heart and soul of it.” He continues by saying without his guidance the tournament wouldn’t be in existence. His connections with the officials, athletic directors, and coaches helped the tournament come together.

    Cotter athletic director Jenny Carpenter says it’s a great tournament to participate in because it’s community based. To have the opportunity to play in the gyms at Winona State is a great experience. “It’s great to be able to have our teams play at Winona State and the crowds are always huge. It’s a good experience for our teams all around.”, Carpenter says.

   Running such a  large tournament comes with responsibilities and chancse of complications. For the tournament to run effectively there is the work of a lot of volunteers involved, including a list of possibly 50+ people.

To get enough teams to fill the brackets is another challenge in itself due to the restrictions from the Minnesota State High School League on how many games the teams are allowed to play.

    “It is a good community focus for all basketball fans,” says Carpenter. The point of the tournament is to raise money for athletic scholarships for Winona State. Trying to squeeze the tournament in between Christmas and New Years can be quite the challenge when it comes to schedules.

    “I enjoy athletics and if I can help a student be a student athlete I will.” says Morgan. Seeing all the different teams play with the three day period of the tournament and getting the chance to see the teams that don’t normally play Cotter play is what Morgan enjoys most about the tournament.

    David Jewison, the current boys basketball coach says, “ WSU has been very good all the while these players have been teenagers, so it is special to play on their court.” Along with many other comments from the coaches, all of them agreed that there is nothing better than letting their team play on the WSU court.

    Having it be such a good chance for the teams to be challenged, and having fun doing it is always a plus. But between all of that, little do they know they are helping someone be able to receive a scholarship to come and play on that same court.