On the heels of celebrating his brand's 10th anniversary, Hoops In the Sun co-CEO - Randy Cruz - took a timeout to answer some questions. With the coordinated and capable efforts of brother, Joe, Jr. (also co-CEO) and infrastructure provided by their late father (Joe, Sr.), HITS has become a staple in the NYC summer basketball circuit. I mean, where else can you combine competitive, action-packed basketball in the 5 boroughs with a sandy beach in eyesight? If you haven't made the trip to Orchard Beach to check out the venue, I highly suggest you print out a copy of the schedule and get your Coppertone ready.
What's the most gratifying part of running an influential summer basketball tournament?
Providing a safe outlet for youth and adults to participate in recreational activities. An outlet where youth and adults can have fun, relax, enjoy themselves all throughout the summer and most importantly, stay out of trouble. Providing and outlet where some of the best ballplayers from all over can display their talent on one of the biggest stages not only in the Bronx, but in NYC.
In your opinion, who was the best player to ever lace them up at the park?
There's a few: "Silence of the Lambs" Will Cadiz, "Primal Fear" Darren Phillip, "Serious Satellite" Kenny Satterfield, Rasaun "Crabby" Young, "Obi-Wan-Kenobe" Obadiah Toppin, "Rockin" Ray Rivera.
Playing alongside the beach provides unique value for the HITS brand. What other key elements have contributed to your success? And what does ultimate success look like for the brand?
The ultimate success for the Hoops in the Sun brand is having the best players from high school to college to the NBA play at our venue; being professionally run and organized, giving the fans the best quality games and talent that they won't see at any other venue and living out the legacy of Joe "Pops" Cruz as Hoops in the Sun prospers into best summer basketball league in the country.
Last question: Who wins in one-on-one, Joe, Jr., or Randy?
I don't think anyone wants to see that game because that game will never end (laughs). We both know each others' strengths and weaknesses and we exploit that. It's competitive brotherly competition as always but our head to head record is just about even (laughs).
For those who don't know, talk to us about the early history of HITS. How was the idea hatched and when did you know it was going to take off?
The idea of HITS came about after a business trip our father, Joe "Pops" Cruz, took to California in the summer of 1999. While he was there, he visited Venice Beach and witnessed how the basketball scene was over there--people playing on the beach, having fun, relaxing; it was a great environment. He came back from the trip and spoke to my brother Joe and I about doing a basketball tournament at his favorite place, Orchard Beach in the Bronx. He felt confident that a competitive, professionally-organized basketball league at Orchard Beach could prosper into one of the best and he knew Orchard Beach was a premier location because it hadn't been done before in NYC. We knew it was going to take off in the early stages of 2000. Pops was in talks with Parks Department about doing this and we were set to begin in July of 2000.
Describe the legacy that your dad left with HITS?
Pops left a tremendous legacy behind. I think he was probably one of the most respected men and tournament CEOs ever in NYC. From the veterans to the young people making their way up, they all loved, admired and respected him. He was a father figure to many, and everyone looked up to him. He was an entrepreneur in his own right; creative and unique, in the sense that every summer he wanted to provide something different and new for the league and for the fans. At the time of his passing back in 2004, the league wasn't at its peak, but he left the foundation for my brother and I to carry over into the next season and many seasons to follow. He taught us in the ins and outs of how to not only run a basketball summer league, but a business. I feel with the knowledge he handed down to my brother and I, we've been able to take Hoops in the Sun to another level and it has been very successful since his passing in 2004. The Parks Department acknowledged Pops' services to Orchard Beach when they provided two plaques with his name on it to be placed on the fence for both courts, officially naming it the Joe "Pops" Cruz courts at Orchard Beach.
Complete this sentence. The most memorable game at HITS was _________.
Wow (Laughs out loud)... Hmmm, I would say the 2006 first round playoff game between X-Men and Pops 5. I know the coach of X-Men doesn't want to re-live this experience, but X-Men went undefeated throughout the regular season (9-0), claiming the #1 overall seed in the playoffs and had to go up against the #4 seeded team, Pops 5. X-Men was in control throughout the first half - being up by as much as 30 points. It was a completely different story in the second half as Pops 5 crawled their way back. The lead went from 30 to 20 to 10 to 5 and by the time you looked up at the score clock with a minute remaining, Pops 5 took the lead and ended up winning by four points to advance to the 2006 championship game against the eventual winners, Powerful Inc.
The idea of HITS came about after a business trip our father, Joe "Pops" Cruz, took to California in the summer of 1999. While he was there, he visited Venice Beach and witnessed how the basketball scene was over there--people playing on the beach, having fun, relaxing; it was a great environment. He came back from the trip and spoke to my brother Joe and I about doing a basketball tournament at his favorite place, Orchard Beach in the Bronx. He felt confident that a competitive, professionally-organized basketball league at Orchard Beach could prosper into one of the best and he knew Orchard Beach was a premier location because it hadn't been done before in NYC. We knew it was going to take off in the early stages of 2000. Pops was in talks with Parks Department about doing this and we were set to begin in July of 2000.
Describe the legacy that your dad left with HITS?
Pops left a tremendous legacy behind. I think he was probably one of the most respected men and tournament CEOs ever in NYC. From the veterans to the young people making their way up, they all loved, admired and respected him. He was a father figure to many, and everyone looked up to him. He was an entrepreneur in his own right; creative and unique, in the sense that every summer he wanted to provide something different and new for the league and for the fans. At the time of his passing back in 2004, the league wasn't at its peak, but he left the foundation for my brother and I to carry over into the next season and many seasons to follow. He taught us in the ins and outs of how to not only run a basketball summer league, but a business. I feel with the knowledge he handed down to my brother and I, we've been able to take Hoops in the Sun to another level and it has been very successful since his passing in 2004. The Parks Department acknowledged Pops' services to Orchard Beach when they provided two plaques with his name on it to be placed on the fence for both courts, officially naming it the Joe "Pops" Cruz courts at Orchard Beach.
Complete this sentence. The most memorable game at HITS was _________.
Wow (Laughs out loud)... Hmmm, I would say the 2006 first round playoff game between X-Men and Pops 5. I know the coach of X-Men doesn't want to re-live this experience, but X-Men went undefeated throughout the regular season (9-0), claiming the #1 overall seed in the playoffs and had to go up against the #4 seeded team, Pops 5. X-Men was in control throughout the first half - being up by as much as 30 points. It was a completely different story in the second half as Pops 5 crawled their way back. The lead went from 30 to 20 to 10 to 5 and by the time you looked up at the score clock with a minute remaining, Pops 5 took the lead and ended up winning by four points to advance to the 2006 championship game against the eventual winners, Powerful Inc.
What's the most gratifying part of running an influential summer basketball tournament?Providing a safe outlet for youth and adults to participate in recreational activities. An outlet where youth and adults can have fun, relax, enjoy themselves all throughout the summer and most importantly, stay out of trouble. Providing and outlet where some of the best ballplayers from all over can display their talent on one of the biggest stages not only in the Bronx, but in NYC.
In your opinion, who was the best player to ever lace them up at the park?
There's a few: "Silence of the Lambs" Will Cadiz, "Primal Fear" Darren Phillip, "Serious Satellite" Kenny Satterfield, Rasaun "Crabby" Young, "Obi-Wan-Kenobe" Obadiah Toppin, "Rockin" Ray Rivera.
Playing alongside the beach provides unique value for the HITS brand. What other key elements have contributed to your success? And what does ultimate success look like for the brand?
The key elements to our success are being innovative, creative and unique. We like to do things differently and do things that may have never been done before; whether its beautifying the courts with fiberglass backboards, breakaway rims for both our adult and youth divisions, adding massive score clock, a 6 - sports ticker for all to see, sponsor logo right in the middle of the court, specialized Joe "Pops" Cruz Mountain Dew cans and so forth. Being professionally organized and providing a safe, family environment for all fans and players are other key elements.
The ultimate success for the Hoops in the Sun brand is having the best players from high school to college to the NBA play at our venue; being professionally run and organized, giving the fans the best quality games and talent that they won't see at any other venue and living out the legacy of Joe "Pops" Cruz as Hoops in the Sun prospers into best summer basketball league in the country.
Last question: Who wins in one-on-one, Joe, Jr., or Randy?
I don't think anyone wants to see that game because that game will never end (laughs). We both know each others' strengths and weaknesses and we exploit that. It's competitive brotherly competition as always but our head to head record is just about even (laughs).
