NIRSA club basketball has student interests top of mind

By Kurt Klier, Facility Manager—Cole Field House & Reckord Armory, University of Maryland

I’ve been traveling a lot lately to represent NIRSA and the Championship Series at different events and meetings.

While waiting to disembark from one of my flights, I heard the flight attendant say, “We know you had a choice today, so thank you for choosing us.” The sentiment got me thinking about NIRSA and club basketball.

The competition was fierce at last year’s games

Our campus programs are constantly being inundated with choices. Students involved in campus rec sports are ultimately left to ask questions like Which league do we participate in? Or What’s the difference between this league and that? It can be hard to pick—especially if all the leagues look pretty much the same.

So how to choose? For me, it would come down to who has my best interests top of mind. I honestly believe that the right league belongs to NIRSA: Leaders in Collegiate Recreation. NIRSA strongly believes in providing students with the best opportunities for competition, professional development, and fair and inclusive play—and all NIRSA Championship Series events are created with these ideas in mind.

Last year, NIRSA kicked off its first regular-season leagues for men’s and women’s club basketball. A total of 14 club teams from around the country participated. The leagues opened up new avenues for not only club teams, but also for top officials and for host institutions’ organizing staff.

Basketball clubs have seen tremendous growth over the last several years and NIRSA has been no exception to this trend: in 2013, 56 of the 84 teams who competed in the NIRSA National Basketball Championships were club teams. NIRSA has noted the increased participation of club basketball teams and decided to build something around them—as always, the association continues to evolve for the sake of its members.

The second annual NIRSA Championship Series Club Basketball League opened for registration on August 15, and I invite you to encourage your club basketball teams to register. The League’s continued success is tied to the active participation of students who recognize that NIRSA is committed to giving them what they deserve.

This year, all registrations and league scheduling management has been simplified  through IMLeagues. To register, team captains only need to pay their team fees and provide their contact information. Registration fees—costs associated with administering the league, insurance, and entry fees and travel stipends for regional league champions—are due by September 15. Clubs are responsible for officials’ fees at each round-robin event.

Once the registration period ends, teams will be placed within a division in their region; captains will be notified by the League Commissioner about scheduling information, such as game play and deadlines. All players must join their school’s team through the IM Leagues registration site to be eligible for league play.

I encourage you to get your school’s club teams involved in what is sure to be an amazing experience for students and professional staff!