NEW ALBANY, Ind. -- Floyd County Parks & Recreation on Saturday afternoon officially dedicated Romeo Langford Court as part of the grand opening of the Kevin Hammersmith Memorial Park.
“I just want to say thank you to Floyd County Parks and Recreation for giving me my own court,” Langford told reporters at the court's groundbreaking ceremony in late May. “It’s not something I dreamt about as a kid. Growing up I never thought about having my own court, or anything like that. I’m thankful and blessed that they thought of me out of everybody, a high school kid from New Albany getting his own court.”
Langford, this year's Indiana Mr. Basketball and an IU signee, New Albany High, joined his father, Tim, mother, Sabrina and sisters Tiffany and Tisha at the dedication, which featured showcase games with the girls and boys elementary school champions and runners-up from the 2017-18 Floyd County Elementary Basketball League season. Defending champion Floyds Knobs faced Greenville in the girls' scrimmage, which marked the first-ever game played on the court. In the boys' game, defending champion Grant Line faced Mount Tabor - Romeo's elementary school as a child.
Each child who played in the exhibition wore commemorative t-shirt jerseys which Romeo signed at the conclusion of each matchup. All four teams also got the chance to get a group photo with Romeo afterward.
Later in the afternoon, the top players from the Kentuckiana Open Run scrimmaged. An exhibition between New Albany High and Floyd Central High alumni wrapped up the day's festivities.
The grand opening of the park, which ran from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. eastern time, also featured recognition of elected officials, parks department and parks foundation officials as well as the engineers and contractors responsible for making the park possible. Floyd County Parks & Recreation also offered entertainment on the KFC Amphitheater stage in the park, health screenings by Baptist Healthy Floyd, art activities for children and food trucks Carr's BBQ, Kona Ice and Get in Your Belly Deli.
Langford committed to IU on April 30 following a decorated preps career which, in addition to Indiana Mr. Basketball honors, included being named the Gatorade Boys Basketball Player of the Year in Indiana, a Jordan Brand All-Star, a McDonald's All-American and a Naismith All-American. He led New Albany to the Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) Class 4A state championship in 2016 and finished fourth on the state's all-time scoring list. Rivals.com regarded Langford as the No. 6 player nationally and No. 2 shooting guard nationally in the 2018 class.
“So many people in Floyd County have enjoyed watching Romeo play over the past four years, and naming the court in his honor is a way for our community to look back and say ‘Thank you,’ to him,” Steve LaDuke, vice president of the county parks board, said in a press release from late May. “Every kid that steps on any outdoor court should not only try to emulate Romeo’s actions on the court, but also his demeanor and kindness off the court (as well).”
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