LEHIGH ACRES, Fla. — Nearly 10 years after the Club Blu mass shooting, Southwest Florida high schoolers continue to honor the legacy of a Fort Myers teen killed in the tragedy.
80 middle and high school basketball players took the court Saturday for the eighth annual Stef'An Strawder Memorial Showcase. The games honor Strawder, one of two teens killed in the 2016 Club Blu mass shooting that left 14 people hurt.
Strawder's uncle, Keith White, helped organize the tournament. White, who is director of the Fort Myers Police Athletic League, said the tournament started before the shooting.
It was designed to showcase smaller high school players - like Strawder - and give them a shot at a college career.
"It was an opportunity for some college coaches to come in and look at these kids in an environment where they feel comfortable at," White said. "Which is a local gym in the community where they come from."
The tournament was held at Harns Marsh Middle School in Lehigh Acres Saturday. Strawder played in very first showcase - and did well, Lieutenant Sylvester Smalls of the Lee County Sheriff's Office said.
Smalls also helped organize the tournament and said it's excellent to see Strawder's legacy carried on.
Around 20 college scouts showed up in-person on Saturday, Smalls said, with more watching online.
Several past players went on to professional basketball careers overseas and three played in the NFL.
"We're still growing," Smalls said. "We also have guys who played here, went on to college, and become engineers, bankers, you name it. It runs the whole gamut."
After the shooting, Smalls said he spoke with Strawder's mother and renamed the tournament in his honor.
On Friday, one of the suspects accused in the shooting pleaded no contest. Tazje Battle will go to prison for around 23 years, one is serving a life sentence and the three other suspects are expected to go to trial. Strawder's uncle said the sentence is a step in the right direction.
"I'm glad that, you know, justice was there. But yeah, Stef'An is definitely missed," White said.
"So the more they can do to justify all of the kids that was involved including Sean, the other one that was lost, and the other kids that actually got shot during that night and all the trauma they have to deal with – I feel justified," White said.
Next year will mark 10 years since the shooting. White said a special gala and showcase will be organized in the victims' honor.
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