Surrey hosts “Call to Ball,” a charity 3-on-3 basketball tournament for first-responders, raising funds for 175 community initiatives.
Surrey First-Responders Hit the Hardwood for Charity
Get ready, Surrey! First-responders from across Metro Vancouver are swapping uniforms for sneakers in a brand-new charity basketball tournament this March.
The Call to Ball 3-on-3 tourney, organized by the Surrey Fire Fighters Association, is set for March 7 at Fleetwood Park Secondary School. Teams of firefighters, police officers, paramedics, border and corrections officers will battle it out on the court—friendly rivalry with a purpose.
Two Divisions, One Big Cause
Organizers are aiming for two divisions to give more first-responder teams a shot at glory. Registration costs $150 per team, with all proceeds funding 175 community initiatives supported by the Surrey Fire Fighters’ Charitable Society.
Tournament planner Niko Mottus, a fourth-year Surrey firefighter and former university basketball player, said the entry fee is intentionally low to encourage maximum participation. “We want this to grow into an annual event and get the ball rolling for the first year,” he said.
Born From a Successful Tradition
The idea for Call to Ball came from Ahmed Mohamoud, a co-worker of Mottus, inspired by the firefighters’ Goodwill Classic, a girls’ high school basketball tournament held every January.
Mottus explained that firefighters volunteer countless hours to organize schedules, sponsorships, and barbecues to support Goodwill. “We’ve seen so much growth in the basketball community recently. We thought we should strike while the iron is hot and start something new for first responders,” he said.
Fleetwood Park was chosen as the venue since Ahmed Mohamoud is an alumnus, adding a local connection to the initiative.
How First-Responders Can Join
Any first-responder team eager to participate can register by emailing Nikolai.Mottus@surrey.ca. Whether on the court or cheering from the sidelines, this event is a slam dunk for community impact.
