April 7, 2008

Faith, friendship and free throws

By Roy Mitchell

CENTRE — As the pale winter blooms into an Alabama spring, bands of basketballers emerge, as if from hibernation, to enter a Centre gym's echoing embrace. Varying in age from teenager to 50-something, these mostly-male masses assemble on spring nights for adult league basketball.

Basketball's culture is driven by a pursuit of passion that knows no professional boundaries, and this group of Cherokee County hoopsters represents a cornucopia of callings. Individuals stepping in sneakers and shorts onto the gym hardwood might be a layman or lawyer, pest controller or principal.

To the most fervent of players, a bouncing basketball has a similar effect to that of a stick thrown to a dog. Perhaps appropriately, a sport that evokes such passion is sponsored by a place known for its passion -- the organization collecting these players and tapping into the talents of Cherokee County's basketball culture is the church.

The local gym sponsoring these adult basketball leagues is First Baptist Church of Centre's Recreation Outreach Center, or ROC. The basic premise of this basketball ministry doesn't involve pews, pulpits, or preachers pounding a podium. In these “RimROCcer” open and church leagues, agile giants and diminutive dribblers alike pray at center court before games and attend a halftime devotional in the ROC game room. The rest of the time is devoted to block outs, bank shots and brotherhood.

The RimROCcer leagues includes some of the county's most notable athletes of both past and present, but many league members are local adults in search of exercise and recreation.

“The league is evenly matched and allows all of us 'has beens' and 'never weres' a chance to be competitive again, stay in shape, and create friendly rivalries that build bonds off the court,” explained Wes Neyman of the First United Methodist Church team explains.

“It is the only exercise I get short of walking to the office from my car,” said Chad Hopper, who plays for First Baptist. “I plan to keep playing until my first heart attack or until I blow my ACL, whichever comes first.”

The ROC leagues originated in at First Baptist in 2004, the brainchild of former recreational minister Wade Rooks. Today these RimROCcer leagues house eight open league teams and five church league teams, 112 players in all. Cherokee County hoop dreams are fulfilled on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday nights from March through mid-May. Peppered with a mixture of young stars and past phenoms, the open league contains an lofty level of talent.

The leagues are directed by Sheila Barrett, manager of the ROC, who heeds to league details such as finding referees and scoreboard operators; directing court set-up; and even to washing team pullover jerseys. Kurt Duryea, a volunteer from nearby Pine Grove Baptist, provides organizational assistance in the form of game and devotional scheduling, as well as team e-mail communication.

Duryea not only coordinates devotionals for the ROC leagues, he conducts his own basketball ministry by conducting a weekly and highly-populated pick-up game at Pine Grove Baptist.

“Through the league and pick-up games we have the opportunity to present the gospel message,” Duryea said. “We also have the opportunity to develop relationships with individuals. We want them to know that if they have personal needs, we are there to pray with them and to help them.”

Frequently, 20 or more players attend Pine Grove's pick-up game, which has been going on for about seven years. Duryea not only oversees the game and assists in directing the Rim ROCcer leagues, he coaches both the Pine Grove church league team and the Green Machine open league team.

As the temperatures rise throughout the spring, the ROC rafters will fill with the sounds of squeaking shoes, the sight of towering three-pointers, and inevitable drama that follows closely contested basketball games.

Uniformed players will not only sprint and spring off the floor in pursuit of exercise and victory, they will do all these physical tasks with the spiritual comfort and support of the devotionals and brotherhood of the church. As a result, some amongst Cherokee County's basketball culture have undoubtedly merged their passion for basketball with a passion for church.

“Recreation ministry is truly an unconventional ministry,” Duryea said. “It doesn't follow the same hours and days as your regular ministry. Churches will travel great distances to send mission teams and present the gospel. Yet, we have a mission field right here in Cherokee County.”