Fun On and Off the Court at Jesuit Basketball Tournament in Washington, D.C.

Above: The Regis Varsity Basketball team outside FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Each Christmas vacation, the Regis Varsity Basketball Team travels to the D.C. metro area for the Father George National Christmas Classic at Georgetown Preparatory School. The tournament features Jesuit high schools from all over the country and, as such, the level of competition is very high. The trip is a great opportunity for the team to meet students from other Jesuit high schools, bond with one another, and explore our nation’s capital.

Senior Co-Captain Conor Peterson was proud of the team's "best finish ever," this year, which included a victory over Jesuit New Orleans. The team also played Canisius High School—last year's CHSAA A Division State Champions—to a close loss, even though Regis is a B division team.

In addition to exposing students to stiff competition, the tournament also emphasizes the unity and togetherness of the broader Jesuit Schools Network. Senior Co-Captain Sean Jennings recalled that the tournament opened with a banquet and Mass. He noted that all schools, while adversaries on the court, share the same value of being "men for others."

A special aspect of the trip this year was a visit to FBI Headquarters just a few blocks east of the White House in our nation's capital. Ryan Heffernan '96 is a unit chief and analyst with the Bureau, and he led the student-athletes, Coach Cullen, and some parents and friends on a tour of the impressive facility.

Senior Co-Captain Shane Donoghue ’16 was struck by learning about the importance of intelligence analysts. “When we think of the FBI, we think of field agents," he said. "But after hearing Mr. Heffernan, analysis sounded interesting, important, and inspiring."

Conor Peterson ’16 was also inspired by Mr. Heffernan’s desire to "use his Regis intelligence to help our nation after 9/11."

In the spirit of "Men for Others" and the principles of Jesuit education, the proceeds from the tournament benefit the Fr. Horace McKenna, S.J. Scholarship Fund, a scholarship fund created by Georgetown Prep to enable graduates of the Washington Jesuit Academy, located in Washington, D.C. and Saint Ignatius Loyola Academy, located in Baltimore, MD to attend Georgetown Prep.