THE ORIGIN OF ALL THIS
FROM SPECTATORS TO ACTORS
¡¡¡COME OVER TO MY PLACE TO PLAY!!!
Far from any real sporting ambition, our shared love for the game slowly brought us together in informal matches. At first, we played only from time to time, but little by little these games turned into regular meetups. Once or twice a week, everyone showed up wearing their favorite team’s jersey and played—often outdoors—without opponents or referees.
The groups were very open. Anyone could invite friends to join, and as a result, more and more people got involved. Eventually, there were enough players to keep things going over time.
To give ourselves an identity, we chose a name, and we even took part in tournaments with other similar regional groups. It was also common for some players to be involved in more than one group.
That is the origin of this project. Two groups—3SonPasos (Santander) and A.D. Pando (Torrelavega)—rivals in many regional tournaments, took their friendship beyond the court, first traveling together and later trying to organize the Santander Masters Basketball Tournament (SMBT).
“Santander Masters grew out of that connection. Out of the confidence of hosts who are happy to open their home. Out of the joy of getting together with friends who love the same things you do… with basketball as the excuse.
In this way, the tournament maintains a strong commitment to promoting sport as a way of connecting beyond age, with the confidence of being in a privileged place that we are delighted to share. Cantabria is well worth visiting, and this can be a great way to discover it.
We would also like you to know that this tournament is run as a non-profit event. Our goal is to choose a social cause for each edition and donate any surplus generated during the tournament, as well as funds raised through our social activities.
Finally—and just as importantly—we know this tournament wouldn’t be possible without the generous support of our sponsors and volunteers, and we’re truly grateful to all of them.