200 Volunteers Power Championship Basketball in Asheville

While college basketball teams compete for a spot in the NCAA tournament this week, two hundred people in Asheville are working behind the scenes without taking home a paycheck.

The Ingles SoCon Basketball Championships wouldn't happen without these volunteers. They're working as team hosts, bartenders, and everything in between to keep the five-day event running smoothly at Harrah's Cherokee Center Asheville.

Stephen Zubrod has been volunteering at the tournament for five years. As a local swim coach, he said being part of something big in western North Carolina keeps him coming back.

"Year after year, you see the same people," Zubrod said. "Sports brings everyone together, and that's what's so cool."

Debi Smith coordinates all the volunteers and said most people do it out of pure love for their community. She's noticed something special about the area's spirit of giving.

"This is the greatest area for hospitality," Smith said. "You walk up to people, and they smile. You have people that come in, and they say, 'You know, I was just walking down the street, and they said hey to me!'"

The Ripple Effect

The volunteers' work is creating waves far beyond the basketball court. The tournament is bringing an estimated $10 million in economic impact to Asheville during a critical time.

Chris Smith, president of the Asheville Buncombe Regional Sports Commission, explained that the event comes right when the area needs it most. After the quiet winter months when tourism drops and businesses slow down, the tournament fills hotels to capacity and packs restaurants across the city.

"We're coming out of what I refer to as sticks season, affectionately," Chris Smith said. "Right now, they're popping. You see all across the city, everything is jumping."

The tournament runs through Monday, with the women's final on Sunday at noon and the men's final Monday at 7 p.m. Ten college teams are competing, but it's the unpaid volunteers who are making the real championship plays happen.