1. Penn State Altoona Intramural Basketball League By: Christopher Henri

2. Purpose of this event Intramural sports are a big part of college life, I attended two intramural basketball games that were happening at the same time on different courts, and experienced just how competitive it could be. Many people who don’t participate in intramurals believe that it isn't anything serious, however that couldn’t be farther from the truth. The players, and even the community take these games very seriously for many reasons the greatest being a chance to win a championship and go on to the state tournament. The fans which are comprised of students attend these games to support their friends who are playing, and for bragging rights. The games are held in Adler gym Monday-Wednesday and Saturday-Sunday. The purpose of this event is to allow students who enjoy playing competitive team basketball a way to compete with others in a structured environment. It makes it possible for students who don’t play mainly for the school they attend a way to still showcase their talents to the communities. All of these players, and fans make up a diverse community of people who all enjoying either playing or watching basketball.

3. Team Pike This is team Pike which stands for Phi Kappa Alpha, they are one of the many intramural basketball teams. This is a picture of them before they got ready to warm up for their game against opposing team. Every member of this team is part of their fraternity, and they plan on establishing their dominance this season. They are a newly founded Frat here at Altoona, so this is there first season of Intramural basketball. They plan on being the rookies that win the championship. Participating in this league is important to them for reasons that extend deeper than basketball, they see this as a way to bond with their brothers over one common goal which is to win. They are using this event to reestablish moral values such as brotherhood, and teamwork which are not only vital to their fraternity, but also to the community.

4. BIG 3pt shot The player in the grey shirt and red shoes hits a big three point shot which gives his team the lead. His team was down by two points with 5 minutes left in the second half, and he calmly dribbled down the court, and pulled a three pointer in the defenders face. After he hit the shot his team was really excited and congratulated him, then went back to play defense. Anytime there's a deep shot that goes in everybody in the gym seems to notice and cheer loudly. After he hit the shot you could see in his face that he felt on top of the world. Its at moments like this that you can really see how succeeding over an opponent can bring forth great satisfaction. The old cliché “Practice makes perfect” is one of the key benefits to competition, because it causes one to work hard to be the best he/she can be which is a commendable attribute to have. The reason this kid who hit the shot was so excited is because this game means something to him which is why he felt joy when he the shot, otherwise it would have been just a normal play.

5. Team to beat This is team Freddy’s Rejects which is arguably the best team in the intramural league. They are comprised of all upperclassmen, and they made it to the championship game last season but came up short. In this photo they are missing two of their key players Abdoul Wahab, and Jarrett Phelps which are dominant in this league. So far in all of their games they’ve blown out opponents by at least twenty points. They definitely have a swagger to them that all other teams notice. Team Freddy’s Reject are known for dunking in games ferociously. Freddy’s Rejects represents the values on how there are always people in life who will be higher than you. To them this competition is a way for them to be the best at something and receive all the benefits it brings like everyone knowing who you are. In our American society we are taught at a early age to be the best at whatever course we take in life. The common tradition of striving for perfection is demonstrated through this team.

6. Rituals and traditions In life there are winners and losers just like there is in a basketball game. Nobody wants to lose but someone will inevitably have to in order for there to be to winner. The players in this picture will go to any lengths to ensure their victory, even if that means a cheap foul here and there. This reminded me of how in life we are willing to go to great measures in order to ensure victory, this can either be looked at as a upside or downside to competition. The old cliché “Boys will be boys” is true during this instant, because the players were competing as if their lives depended on it, so it got pretty rough put there for them. The same unwavering competition that is shown here is exactly how it is in the real world, whether it be competing with others for college, or a job. Its this passion that can elevate our performance to great heights, and sometimes make us people willing to do whatever it takes to reach those heights whether it be good or bad.

7. Conclusion In conclusion this community of basketball players and fans reinforce the values of hard work through their plight to win a championship. The competition between each game is taken very seriously because none of these teams wants to lose a game. Their dedication to this Intramural is phenomenal especially because they aren't technically apart of the school team. Many people don’t recognize how the competition in an intramural game extends deeper than basketball, but by watching these games and meeting with players and teams I have come to see the true meaning of how competition shapes our lives.