As the weather in Spokane has steadily improved over the last week or two, the Gonzaga campus has come alive. Students taking advantage of the long awaited sunshine have been playing Frisbee, throwing baseballs and footballs around, sunbathing, and barbecuing. Everything seems to be right in Zag country, but there is still one thing missing: basketball.
Being the prominent basketball school that we are, it is amazing that there are zero outdoor basketball courts on campus. Our basketball prowess extends beyond the friendly confines of the McCarthey Athletic Center on Thursday and Saturday nights; anyone who has been in the Rudolph Fitness Center has seen how popular the pick up games are. Why not install an outdoor court so that students can enjoy the same ‘recreationally competitive' basketball they do in Rudolph but in the great outdoors? The nice weather has pushed everyone outside and although I haven't had a chance to take notice, I bet the Rudolph courts have been awfully quiet the past few days.
It would be simple, really. Pour some cement down, paint a few lines, shove two ten foot poles into the concrete at opposite ends and there you go — instant entertainment. There are a couple spots that could accommodate a court properly: the grass area between DeSmet and Welch would be nice because it's right in the middle of campus, and in front of Coughlin could also work because it seems like much of that grass area goes unused anyway. Students could rent basketballs at Crosby with their ID cards just like in Rudolph and return the balls when their basketball cravings have been satisfied. What have we got to lose? It wouldn't cost much, and since the practice soccer field replaced the tennis courts a few years back, there aren't really any outdoor athletic facilities for students besides Mulligan.
With the extreme popularity of intramurals at Gonzaga, it should be a no-brainer to have an outdoor court on campus. It could accommodate outdoor intramural leagues, 3-on-3 tournaments, hockey, 4-square, and hey, maybe even some good old fashioned curling in the winter. An outdoor court on campus would be ideal for a basketball school like Gonzaga. After being cooped up all winter waiting for the sun to come out, it'd be amazing to enjoy the sun and the school sport at the same time. Besides, no one actually likes playing Frisbee, do they?
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