Louisville, Ky. (WDRB) — More than 2,000 girls basketball teams are in Louisville this weekend for one of the largest tournaments in the country.
Run 4 the Roses has transformed the Kentucky Exposition Center into a sea of basketball courts, with games happening at more than 80 courts at the same time. Teams traveled from 48 states and 11 countries, bringing thousands of players, coaches and families to Louisville.
For many athletes, it's their first time competing on a stage this big.
"It is very overwhelming," 14-year-old Melody Bodner said. "I was shaking my first game."
Bodner traveled from Virginia with her family for the tournament.
"I read there were 80-plus courts, and I thought, 'Okay, cool,'" her mother, Katie Bodner, said. "Then we walked in and I was like... 80-plus courts. It is much bigger than I anticipated."
Players spend the weekend competing in multiple regulation games, often several in one day.
"It's been a lot of fun," Bodner said. "We've been doing really good. It's just a new experience."
Beyond the competition, many players are hoping to catch the attention of college recruiters. Dozens of coaches could be seen lining the baselines throughout the Expo Center, watching games and evaluating talent.
"That is what we trying for," parent Yashema Davis said. "That is what we aimin' for."
Davis played basketball in high school and college herself. Now she's back at Run for the Roses, this time watching her daughter compete.
For today's athletes, the opportunities go beyond earning a college scholarship. Name, image and likeness deals have added another layer, allowing college athletes to profit from endorsements and sponsorships.
"I have a niece that attends Georgia," Ariyah Huffman said. "She will be on the Georgia basketball team this year, and she got a pretty good NIL."
For thousands of young players, Run for the Roses is a chance to compete against top talent, play in front of college coaches and see where basketball could take them next.
And in a place this big, that simple line still cuts through: for many of these girls, just being here is a big deal.
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