Due to increase intramural basketball teams, students will play on the main court at Alico Arena

It seems as if Dunk City has not only brought attention to the Florida Gulf Coast University men’s basketball team but to the school’s intramural teams as well. This semester there has been an increase of 20 intramural basketball teams. With 44 registered teams, there simply wasn’t enough room for everyone to play. That is until FGCU Athletics pulled through.
On Monday nights from 6-11:30 p.m., the Alico Arena court is filled with intramural basketball players on the same court that we usually see our men’s and women’s basketball players throwing allies and shooting threes.
“With our increased participation in intramural sports, we have been looking for creative ways to serve our growing population. This collaboration with FGCU Athletics allows us to accommodate all of the participants and leagues,” said Robbie Bell, assistant director of programs for Campus Rec. “We worked with Butch Perchan and Billy Blood (associate director of Intercollegiate Athletics, and Association athletic director of Internal Affairs, respectively) closely on this, and we are very appreciative of their support of the students and intramural sports.”
In past seasons, all of the intramural basketball games were played upstairs in the Alico Arena auxiliary gym. This relocation means that most teams will get to play at least one game on the Alico Arena court. Playoff teams from the men’s, women’s and co-rec leagues will get to go head-to-head on the court as well.
“I think it is great that the other students at FGCU get to play on the main court to kind of experience the same feeling our team gets when we go out there and play,” said Brett Comer, FGCU men’s basketball point guard. “I am excited to come out and watch them play.” “FGCU Athletics was kind enough to collaborate with Campus Recreation and open up main court availability free of charge,” said Carl Bleich, Intramural Sports and Special Events Coordinator. “I don’t believe it presents any issues because the main court floor is designed for activities like basketball to take place. Since the main floor is constantly supervised by both student and professional staff members from Campus Recreation, there is very little risk to the main court or the baskets.”
The first intramural basketball game was played Jan. 27, and students like Chris Gorski enjoyed the experience.
“I thoroughly enjoyed it,” Gorski said. “It reminded me of playing in the good ‘ole days of playing in high school.”