Look for the Official 70th Annual Gene Steighorst Tournament T-Shirt at all of this week's games!
In 1956 a young basketball coach named Gene Steighorst started an early season basketball tournament here at Hillsboro High School. This winter for the 70th year in a row, area teams will come to HHS with hopes of taking home the championship trophy. Gene Steighorst hoisted that championship trophy for the first time in 1959. His teams would capture the title a total of 8 times over Gene’s career, which included 645 total wins over 36 seasons.
The Hillsboro R-3 School District is grateful for the legacy that Gene and his family have left for our school community. Gene made a positive impact on hundreds of young people that he came in contact with through his teaching and coaching. We are pleased to continue this tournament and honor Gene Steighorst through the playing of the game that he loved.
His family members started the Gene Steighorst Memorial Scholarship after Gene passed away in 2008 which awards a scholarship to a deserving senior boys' basketball player each year.
Gene's granddaughter, Brooke, a Hillsboro Alumni, has designed a commemorative T-shirt for this year's tournament. They are a heather gray Gildan Softstyle unisex shirt with a 50/50 cotton/poly blend. We will be selling them for $15 a shirt during the tournament.
All proceeds from the sales of the shirts will be put towards the Gene Steighorst Memorial Scholarship fund.