Intramural Basketball: The Belle of the Ball

IMBL is well-liked in the Hopkins community because of its status as a social and competitive outlet for students. It is no secret that Hopkins students love to compete, and an example of this is the teams created for students by students. In addition, the group is helmed by competent staff, teaching with a hands-off approach. Faculty Advisor and Math Teacher Bryan Vargas said, “Last year I was the assistant coach for a basketball team. What I think makes [Intramural basketball] so special is the fact that it is such a massive group where people with a range of experiences come together and have fun.” Walker Stollenwerck ’27 agreed with Vargas, “I think because people do not take it too seriously, they have fun with it. It is a really good H block pallet cleanser.” Jose Walters ’26 expressed a similar sentiment, “Intramural basketball reminds you why you fell in love with the game, no pressure, no politics, just friends, competition, and pure fun, which is something varsity sports forget.” Max Alderman ’27 agreed with Walters: “It’s fun to have some recreational time with friends after a difficult school day.” Faculty serve a more administrative role as referees during the games, allowing the students to take leadership with the students leading the teams.Vidwan Aryan ’27 commented on the faculty involvement: “Thanks to Mr. Levy’s excellent organization, IMBL feels like an actual basketball league at times. With a player stat sheet and standings table, it’s really well run.”

IMBL and informal soccer (futsal) are the only two sports of its kind at Hopkins, allowing students to participate in a recreational league during school hours. When asked if the popularity helped basketball, Vargas stated, “It helps the sport because we get more people to be part of it, allowing for teams to be more diverse and holistic. Therefore, when people compete in matches, everyone gets playtime and everyone gets to play. The team captains choose the best teams to go against each other." Will Forrest ’27 enjoys the way IMBL functions: “I think IMBL really brings the community together. It’s a great balance between a competition and just a pickup basketball game. It allows for people to meet and become friends as well as build comradery. Julian Peccia ’27 agreed, “It is nice to play a team sport without the time commitment of a two hour varsity sport after school”

Many students and faculty at Hopkins believe that IMBL is an oddity. Vargas expressed skepticism about trying to make other sports have larger rosters: “It can not be applied, that is the issue. IMBL is only for juniors and seniors who do not have another sport.”