Sept. 2, 2008

QUEENS, N.Y. - Sixteen teams will lace up their shoes and put on their game faces to compete in the inaugural "Chairmen of the Boards" 3-on-3 charity basketball tournament to benefit Tuesday's Children. The tournament will take place on Sunday, Sept. 7 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Hunter College in New York City.

Tuesday's Children is the premiere non-profit organization serving the needs of the 9/11 community, providing a wide-range of programming from mentoring, to advocacy for children, to next-step life skills and leadership training for 9/11 families and rescue and recovery workers.

St. John's Norm Roberts will lead an all-star cast of NCAA Division I men's basketball coaches who will serve as guest coaches for the round robin tournament. Coaching alongside Roberts will be Matt Doherty (Southern Methodist University), Seth Greenberg (Virginia Tech), Jim Larranaga (George Mason), Tom Pecora (Hofstra), Bob McKillop (Davidson), Paul Hewitt (Georgia Tech) and Bobby Cremins (College of Charleston). St. John's Hall of Fame coach Lou Carnesecca, ESPN college basketball analyst Len Elmore and basketball analyst Billy Packer are also expected to make special guest appearances.

"Tuesday's Children is an outstanding organization, and their work is unbelievable in how they are trying to help those affected by the terrible tragedy of September 11, 2001," said Roberts. "As a native New Yorker this cause really hits home, and coaching in this tournament is just one small thing that we, as coaches, can do to help Tuesday's Children's great efforts."

Carmine Calzonetti, President of Tuesday's Children and former guard and assistant coach at St. John's, reached out to his friends and colleagues in college basketball seeking assistance for this tournament.

"We are thrilled that these coaches are joining us and we are looking forward to a fun and competitive tournament," said Calzonetti. "The sports world has been incredibly generous to Tuesday's Children and we are grateful for their continued support. It is thanks to the dedication of friends and donors that we are able to continue our programs and provide support to the 9/11 community."

All proceeds from the event will be used to support the programs of Tuesday's Children, which include:

Mentoring: The Tuesday's Children mentoring program pairs children of 9/11 with specially-trained adult role models who support each young person's emotional and developmental needs and help them build the confidence, skills and resources they need to meet their potential.

Career Paths Specifically designed for adolescents, this program helps teens prepare for college and a career through a variety of activities and leadership programs.

First Steps: Designed to engage young children and their parents in activities and events that foster healthy child development, this program teaches surviving parents how to deal with the emotional challenges of raising a child who faces the loss of the other parent.

Next Step/Turning Point: Designed to help parents and spouses focus on their own recovery, these programs show adults how to take crucial next steps in their lives so they can better care for themselves and their families.

Tuesday's Champions: This new initiative provides a wide range of programs and events to 9/11 rescue and recovery workers and responders to help guide them along the path to a stronger, healthier future.

Project Common Bond: This program unites teens from around the world whose lives have been directly impacted by terror to form a new international community. This unique annual program will allow teens from around the world to form a community of peers that will work to forge a role so young people can contribute to the international dialogue about terrorism, peace, meaningful community service and other issues that impact their lives.

The tournament will be followed by trophy presentation, MVP award, a banquet dinner and auction prizes.

"Chairmen of the Boards" is presented in partnership with Doubledown Media.