In the latest installment of the Star Wars franchise, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, a new generation of characters (Rey, Finn, Poe Dameron, BB-8) combined with the original cast (Han Solo, Princess Leia, Luke Skywalker, Chewbacca, C3P0) to fight the forces of evil. Two generations brought together for a common cause: Sometimes real life does imitate art.

For the 32nd year, the Danny Rysavy Memorial Classic basketball tournament will be played. Although it’s an unofficial Pacelli event, the tournament will be held at the Pacelli gym on Sat., March 26. As always, current students and alumni are welcome to participate.

When some of the original participants matured into non-basketball-playing shape after 30 years, it appeared that, like all good things, the tournament had come to an end. But it hasn’t. Thankfully, the tournament was guided by a new generation in 2015 when the torch was passed from Mick Garry (PHS, ’81) and his family to Madi Rysavy (PHS, ’21) and her family.

The tournament began as anything but a memorial. It was something to do as the winter snows receded from the Saint Augustine’s parking lot on Easter Weekend in 1984. From its origin, the tournament has been about camaraderie, brining Pacelli alumni together in Austin along with current students on Easter weekend. It takes its rightful place behind church and family as a means for friends to remain connected with each other and their alma mater. Playing or just being there has been more important than who wins, with “non-basketball players” such as Danny being celebrated with the same esteem as those players who demonstrate exceptional basketball prowess. And Pacelli had had a few of those over the years.

Danny played in the early Easter tournaments, the “Bunny Tournament” as it was called. When Danny died in 1984, the annual game was dedicated in his memory. Shortly thereafter, a scholarship was created in his honor. Danny was a wrestler and a scrapper, the kind of non-basketball player with whom experienced basketball players hoped they were paired. In his honor, the Danny Rysavy scholarship is bestowed annually upon the Pacelli student who is as well respected by his fellow students as Danny was. Over the past 20 years, $14(k) in scholarship money has been awarded from money raised at the tournament. Also, Benny’s Books, a memorial fund that has bought books for the class of Benny Garry at Pacelli Catholic Schools for years, was launched via the tournament. Benny Garry, the son of Tim Garry, passed away unexpectedly at the age of three in 2004.

While the camaraderie has been constant, the format has changed over the years. In the beginning a non-basketball player was matched with an experienced player in a two-on-two format. As more and more recent graduates increased participation, the game expanded to a three-on-three format. Every effort has been made to keep the teams competitively balanced though.

While the format changed, the intent has remained the same — being there and being part of Pacelli is the most important thing.

Troy Ethen,

Ethen is a Pacelli Catholic School and Carleton College

graduate and a former Business Unit President at Taylor Corporation.