Keene State College has had a pretty successful men’s basketball team, but for those who want something a little less strenuous than Division III college basketball, a new men’s basketball club is shooting off this year.
The flier on campus describes the club as, “An environment where everyone can learn basketball strategy, create new relationships, and compete against their teammates as well as other male club teams in the area.”
The founder of the club is senior physical education major Spencer Dragone, who wanted to start the club after deciding that the campus needed a place where men can play basketball in a more organized, competitive setting, while also focusing on more of the social aspect of basketball. “My favorite sports team of all time that I ever played on was a team that focused on fun and making friends, and the team here just didn’t do that for me, so I felt like the campus needed it,” he said.
Chase Berg, a business major who is in charge of gathering the funds for the basketball club, added to the point of creating a more friendly environment. “I don’t think that winning is going to determine whether or not this is going to be a successful club team when it is put together; I think it’s going to be a good time for everybody,” he said.
The difference between the men’s basketball club and the intramural basketball league that the school offers is that the club would go on year-round and play other teams and schools in the area. “We’re looking to play other schools. I had an idea of maybe playing here because we aren’t allowed to travel our first year; it’s open to students on campus,” Dragone said. “The main difference between recsports and this club team is the long-term aspect and having the same group around.”
Dragone got the idea after coaching fourth and fifth graders, whose main goal for playing was just to have fun. “It made me realize why I really like basketball and why I really like working out in general,” he said. “They all just want to have fun; it’s like the bare bones of what they want to do.”
He said he hopes to carry that on today for college students and create, “A nice community where you can have friends and rely on each other.”
Molly Lu McKellar can be contacted
at mmckellar@kscequinox.com
