Parquet Courts by Andrew Rodriguez

           The various club sports and intramurals you can participate in at the University of Texas at San Antonio Recreation Center is really appealing for those students who aren’t officially part of the schools athletics. I love the sport of basketball both as a fan and also a participant either organized or pickup games. Not a braggadocio’s person but I’d say I’m pretty good at. Play hard, work smart use to be my mantra in the golden days. Originally, I signed up for an intramural league around October but had to drop due to the combination of school and work. It didn’t stop me from playing countless pickup games over the semester as my thirst for competition needed to be quenched like a Gatorade commercial, or something like that. At my other gym it is really difficult to play single pickup games because the “regulars” hog up the slots playing again even after they lose which everyone knows once the team loses a new team of people who haven’t had a chance gets their time to shine. It becomes quite annoying since people actually pay to be at that gym.

The UTSA Recreation Center beats most gyms because they simply have four basketball courts compared to a gym’s once court giving multiple people a chance to show their game. Students understand this unwritten rule of the next players go up next which is odd because you think grown people would grasp that notion.

            My only qualms is the court isn’t necessarily regulation size and smaller which leads to a more fast pace game, which contrasts my or anyone who takes a slow, methodical approach to the game. At least they provide more basketballs than most gyms and there in better condition. Nice change of pace when the bball players actually try and compete and want to out muscle you because you from there that it’s on and no more just game of trying to practice your shot.

            If you know how to play basketball even if you’re not the best, I think it’s one of the best forms of doing your cardio days. Without it being noticed it also helps out in the social aspect when it comes to communicating with strangers and students you never have encountered before.