In 2007 a few Paris homeschool parents, responding to their kids’ desires to play competitive basketball, began talking about options that might be available in our area.  Websites were searched and phone calls were made that resulted in our discovery that competitive, organized basketball for homeschool groups was alive and well in Texas. In fact, there were a few homeschool teams already organized not too far from Paris.

Kids spread the word and rounded up enough to form a team.  Coaches were secured, Paris Area Homeschool Athletic Association was officially formed, and the teams came together in time to participate in the 2007-2008 season.  The kids voted and chose our team name (Warriors) and colors (red, black and white). We became members of the East Texas Athletic Conference (ETAC), joining CHESS from Sulphur Springs, CHAAMP from Mt Pleasant, Bethel Christian Academy from Pittsburg, and Grayson Christian from Sherman.

The next year all 5 of these teams made the decision to join the Texas Christian Athletic League (T-CAL), being placed as a group into the newly formed Northeast district.  That year the girl’s team won the district and regional titles, making it to the T-CAL state tournament in Waxahachie.

Our teams improved each year and our girl’s team made it back to the T-CAL state tournament for the next 2 years, winning the state championship in 2011.  Our boy’s team also qualified for the state tournament in 2011. Following the 2010-2011 season, our board voted to withdraw from T-CAL, and become an independent homeschool team.  We played a full season in 2011-2012, culminating in our own inaugural Paris Hoops Invitational Tournament in March 2012.

The word of our organization spread, and we had more homeschool families interested in our program than ever before. In 2013 we added JH boys and girls to our list of teams. Up to 60 of our children participated that year!

Throughout the years we have become more organized and have developed a stable set of Bylaws by which we operate. In 2013, PAHAA added the position of Athletic Director to our organization, with Tony VanDerWilt serving as our first AD. Tony oversaw a challenging off-season program and the implementation of other ideas that helped our teams dramatically improve and hone those skills that were deficient.

In 2013, we began to participate in homeschool basketball tournaments on the state level every year, and then in 2015 we began our association with the National Christian Homeschool Basketball Championships, participating in state, regional, and even national tournaments every year.

How many kids we have in each age division drives which teams we have each year. If we have enough interest, we can field teams at the varsity level (18U), junior varsity (16U), junior high (14U), middle school (12U), as well as elementary (10U) which is a new age category that we started in 2018.

We continue the tradition of hosting our annual Paris HOOPS Invitational Tournament. Paris HOOPS has become a competitive and much coveted tournament in which teams from near and far desire to participate. In 2018, we expanded the HOOPS Tournament to involve the sub-varsity teams as well in their own separate round-robin. 24 teams total participated in the 2018, and in 2019, we had more than 1000 people in attendance!

We continue our association with the National Christian Homeschool Basketball Championships by taking all of our teams to the regional tournament in Mansfield, Texas, every February. Then in 2018 for the first time, our 18U teams participated in the week-long national tournament held in Springfield, Missouri, where over 300 teams attended. Our players and parents alike have thoroughly enjoyed being part of these large homeschool events, not only for the competition but for the opportunities for Christian fellowship.