Sunday Hoops Life at the J
Sneakers squeak across the JCC Denver court; sweat trickles down cheeks; the sound of the ball swooshes through the air. It’s a brisk Sunday morning, but no one in the gym is aware of the chill outside because their focus is locked on one thing: the basketball.
Jewish Community Centers across North America offer basketball programming that is both recreational and competitive. The Staenberg-Loup Jewish Community Center is no exception. Every Sunday morning from 8:30 – 11:00 am, athletes from the ages of 18 to 60 can enjoy pickup basketball, and it’s just $15 for those that are not JCC Fitness Members.
Some folks have been playing pickup at JCC Denver for over twenty-five years. Brendan Freedman admits that he has been “since before Carmelo Anthony played for the Nuggets. When you have played here for thirty years, it becomes your group, your community. I’m now playing with the sons of my friends that I used to play with. I drive 35 minutes from Boulder to play here because it’s hard to find a consistent game with people who know how to play. It feels very level – everyone can participate and have a good time. I plan my vacations around this!” Although Brendan might be considered one of the more seasoned players on the courts, there are plenty of newer players who heard about JCC Denver’s drop-in basketball game from local buddies. A newcomer, Fadi Azhari, says he “came for the comradery and stays for the friendship. We have fun and don’t take it too seriously.” Mikey Mechaly has been playing pickup at JCC Denver for four years, explaining how he used to play when visiting his buddy in Denver while he was in town from New York. He says, “When we moved to Denver, I was sure to join the J and become a member so I could keep playing.”
Jacob Cooper, who has been playing basketball for 9 years at the J, observes how every JCC he has been to seems to offer games. Orange County, Tucson, New Jersey, Baltimore – all these Jewish Community Centers also offer pickup basketball. But why? What’s the connection between basketball and the Jewish people?
After six straight games of pick-up at JCC Denver, the band of merry men all have sweat-drenched t-shirts and smiles cemented to their faces. They maneuver around the court perfectly in sync like eight arms of an octopus; they are separate yet unified, aware of each pass and play. They have done this hundreds of times before and will do it hundreds more. They span all ages, abilities, and walks of life to come together as equals. They hustle and hope to achieve the same goal – to play ball.
The Jewish Roots of Early Basketball
Basketball was invented in 1891 by a physical education instructor named James Naismith. His goal was to keep kids safe and active throughout the winter months. The game quickly gained popularity amongst diverse groups, particularly in urban settings. The sport, still new and relatively disorganized, allowed for Jewish players to step into this niche and excel. In the early 1900’s, basketball picked up steam throughout New York. The City College of New York (CCNY) established a basketball team full of local Jewish players. By the 1920’s when immigration restriction intensified, Jewish basketball players hooped at synagogues and community centers. Then, Jewish players started filling college basketball rosters and come 1946, the New York Knickerbockers had multiple Jewish players on their team. One of them, Ossie Schectman, made the first basket ever scored in the Basketball Association of America (now the NBA.) Basketball, once a sport that was designed to keep students moving during the cold months of winter, transformed into a signal of assimilation. Now, it has evolved into so much more.
Ready to move? Join the JCC Denver Fitness Center and experience pickup basketball and more.
