Straight Talk: Basketball versus volleyball

  • Published
  • By Col. Stacy L. Yike
  • 66th Air Base Group commander
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. --  Comment: During this time of year, it seems that volleyball takes over half the court in the new gym. There is concern for safety, as there are more players playing basketball than volleyball and the use of a full court is necessary to allow more space for playing and preventing injury. The older gym could be used to accommodate volleyball and aerobics at the same time and thus make more efficient use of the facilities.

Response: The Fitness Center team took a close look at your suggestion and particularly reviewed the safety issues to best accommodate all of our patrons. This is what they found:

"The old gym does not have bleachers for spectators or a place for substitutions to sit when they are not playing volleyball. Additionally, we have attempted to accommodate an intramural sporting event while running another program such as aerobics or tae kwon do; however, it was disruptive to both events and posed more of a safety risk to participants with the staged equipment and lack of bleachers to accommodate the participants and spectators. We understand basketball is popular and a lot of people like to play this sport; therefore, we accommodate both basketball play and volleyball play during the intramural volleyball season by playing volleyball on one half of the new basketball court while leaving the other half open for unit PT or free play basketball."

I know basketball players are a pretty tight knit group, but perhaps you could look at sharing the court as an opportunity to meet new people who share your enthusiasm for sports. We have a great intramural program with seven sports leagues throughout the year. Currently, the volleyball league has seven teams playing Monday through Thursday. The 350th is in first place with ESC staff and ESC/PK close behind. Basketball is back in the limelight from January to April. Tennis is from January to May, and then softball takes place from May to August. Golf begins in May and lasts until October, while soccer takes place from June to October. Flag football starts up in August and goes to November, and then we end the year with volleyball again.

Along with the intramural aerobic programs, the Fitness Center offers incentive fitness programs such as 250 Miles for Health, U.S. Air Force Cycling, Presidential Active Lifestyle Award and our current Hike to the North Pole Challenge, which participants accumulate mileage on fitness equipment in order to reach the North Pole by Christmas. There are also a wide range of health education classes available all year long.

Thanksgiving is just around the corner and our health is a precious gift for which we can all give thanks. Protect your health this holiday season by setting your fitness resolution before the holiday season. There is no time like today to take a positive step toward a healthier you. I wish you all a safe and healthy Thanksgiving holiday.