The holiday season is creeping up and winter sports are starting, giving students lots of events to look forward to. In addition to all of the festivities that winter brings, intramural basketball is officially back for another season. The fun, yet competitive league for Knights in grades 9-12 bring out packed bleachers and fans eager to watch their friends compete.
Students have the ability to be on a team with their friends and play against other students without the stress and commitment of playing on the official West Essex basketball team. So why is it that only basketball players get this opportunity?
West Essex is an extremely athletic school with over 27 varsity sports offered, yet basketball is the only sport that has an intramural league. While this benefits the students who enjoy this specific game, other athletes who partake in different sports don’t have that same opportunity. These athletes should have the chance to pursue their interests in other sports through the intramural league, just like basketball players can.
Students at West Essex are always looking for chances to join clubs and extracurriculars, and luckily, there are a plethora of options. However, aside from the official sports teams, the sports-related activities offered are limited, except for basketball players. Expanding the amount of sports that have an intramural league would give more students a stressless yet exciting way to play against their friends in lighthearted competitions.
Junior Concetta Tamburri shares her interest in joining an intramural team for a sport other than basketball.
“I definitely think there should be more options for intramural leagues,” Tamburri said. “Me and my friends always love playing badminton in gym class and if there was an option to play it all together for fun on an intramural team, we all would do it.”
The Roseland Recreation Department started the basketball intramural league in 2009, and since then, they have looked to expand the intramural leagues to other sports as well. Michael Colitti, a co-creator of the High School Intramural Basketball Program, said the lack of other leagues is all about interest.
“We did try to start several other Intramural Sports Programs, such as co-ed Volleyball, co-ed Wiffleball, co-ed Kickball and even an Xtreme Sports Program, but we couldn’t get the numbers required to make it work,” Colitti said.
Not only are participants who are interested needed, but Colitti said other hurdles need to be cleared.
“First, the participants, of course, but in reference to the logistics, you need the facility, the related equipment, as well as the staff required, such as referees, to make it work,” Colitti said. “I am not opposed to conducting any of those activities, but we just need to have an interest, as well as the facility space to do it.”
With enough support and resources, West Essex has the possibility to create various intramural sports leagues and give more students the opportunity to participate. Many students would benefit from having the opportunity to participate in new activities and by adding these leagues, this would result in positive feedback from the West Essex community.
Intramural players and students continue to look forward to the weekly games and hope that other students can have the same opportunity to participate, eventually.
“Intramural basketball brings a lot of people together,” senior Brandon Sivori said. “What makes it fun is you can make a team with your friends. It would be a great opportunity to add more sports like flag football, floor hockey and more to bring people together.”
