TWIN FALLS, Idaho — The College of Southern Idaho and the Jae Foundation have teamed up to bring a unique pre-season basketball tournament to Twin Falls.
Going into its second year, the Battle for the Boot gives teams from all over the country a chance to play for something bigger than basketball.
WATCH: The Jae Foundation partners with CSI for Battle for the Boot basketball tournament, using sports to raise mental health awareness
CSI basketball tournament combines competition with mental health awareness
In 2016, Jason Vickrey lost his friend Jae to suicide. From that day forward, he knew he had to do something to help raise awareness for mental health issues.
That’s how the Jae Foundation got its start.
“We exist to bring hope in the future to people around mental health awareness, suicide prevention, and healing for those who have lost loved ones,” Vickrey said.
To continue bringing that hope to as many people as possible, the Jae Foundation teamed up with the College of Southern Idaho to host the Battle for the Boot basketball tournament.
“Sport is such an amazing platform to get a message out there, and no better way to do that than [with] CSI basketball. So, we wanted to create the premier junior college basketball tournament in the country,” Vickrey added.
“We got seven teams that come here from across the country— from different states— it’s the only tournament in the country where there is a winner’s bracket and we play it all the way out. It’s the only one in the country for junior college,” explained Jeff Reinert, CSI men’s basketball head coach.
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But before a single shot was taken on the court, the teams were able to take part in what the Jae Foundation stands for.
Each player received a pair of cowboy boots that stand as a permanent reminder that, beyond their skills on the court, life is bigger than basketball.
“Jae loved his cowboy boots, and so we share his upbringing from being adopted to the day he took his life. After that, we gift these players with a pair of ‘Jae Boots’ and then we go upstairs and we just have a real conversation around mental health, suicide, and healing,” Vickrey said.
“It’s just a great experience hearing the story and just understanding the bigger picture and the mental part of everything,” said Nathan Ahner, CSI captain.
One of the teams battling for the boot is Columbia Basin College out of Washington state.
For head coach Anthony Owens, the Jae Foundation has reminded him that coaching is more than just the X’s and O’s and the wins and losses.
“Reflecting on the last couple of weeks— I’m trying to get them to play hard and do what I want— but then I’m not checking on them and making sure they’re good,” said Owens. “That’s part of the coaching. So, this right here is huge for me, and it just opened my eyes to what I should be doing a little bit more of.”
The Battle for the Boot continues until Saturday, with winner and consolation prizes at stake.
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