RICHMOND, Va. — Inside the gym at St. Bridget's School in the West End, there's never much quiet time — even in the summer. Basketball is a year-round sport for those who want to excel in the game, bringing together players of all ages in an unusual but rewarding community.
The group ranges from recent high school graduates to men in their 60s, all sharing the court and learning from each other in a unique basketball community.
Promyse Dent, who just graduated from Monacan High and will play at Mary Baldwin this fall, is one of the younger players in the mix.
"I recently injured my left ankle, so I'm trying to get back in the flow of things, trying to get back in shape for school. But it's been fun playing out here where everybody know hits, gaining some knowledge, some wisdom," Dent said.
For the older players like Alexander Gayle, who graduated over 20 years ago, basketball remains a lifelong passion.
"Basketball was one of my first loves in life. You know, I grew up playing mostly soccer, basketball and baseball, so it's just something that I'm like, I just never want to, kind of never want to give it up," Gayle said.
Kevin Draudt, who played at Cave Spring in Roanoke well over a decade ago, shares that sentiment.
"I think it's the most enjoyable team sport keeps you in shape too, getting older. So that's always a plus. But no, it's fun, because it's a different group of guys you're playing with on a team pretty much every time out," Draudt said.
What makes this group special isn't just their love of basketball — it's the intentional mixing of generations on the court.
"Just connecting with everybody, with all the old heads, learning different things, getting knowledge, like I said earlier, it just it's a good environment for everybody to come out here and play," Dent said.
The age difference rarely factors into their games, according to Draudt.
"No one really thinks about it. I mean, some days it's an older group of guys, some days it's younger, but it's still fun, no matter what, try to even out teams. So it's usually pretty competitive," Draudt said.
This mashup of men is the brainchild of Rick Stockel. It started as a group of dads who were watching their kids play in the Bulldog's gym and morphed into a community chest of capability and experience.
"When we first started, we were lucky to get four on four, three on three. We'd play sideways. But me, being me, started reaching out and getting lots of other people. So as that progressed, I started adding other people," Stockel said.
Stockel is an assistant coach at Monacan, which explains the youth in the building. But he will be 64 later this summer and has no thoughts of slowing down.
"But basketball is universal sport. You can be old, you can be young, you can be from any background. You just want to win, and you win as a team," Stockel said.
The group's dedication sometimes comes at a physical cost. Stockel has played through significant injuries rather than take time off.
"Two years ago, I ripped the long tendon of my bicep off my right shoulder. Went to the doctor. He said, Yeah, you can get it repaired, but you're going to have to sit out six months, nine months. Said, no, just play with it," Stockel said.
That's far from the only injury this group claims. Stockel has the crooked finger to prove it.
"I broke it and it was like this. It was like 100 degrees the wrong way. So I said, guys, put my finger back. Everyone ran," Stockel said.
Fortunately, Gayle's background came in handy.
"When I was an undergrad, I was a physical therapy major, so I still kind of remembered some of the tricks of the trade. So I just popped it back in place for him real quick," Gayle said.
Though he adds a disclaimer: "I have done that a few times before, for like my older brother, when he got injured, or like some of my friends, when they just want to pull something back and play. So, yeah, I had a little bit of experience. I wouldn't recommend it," Gayle said.
Outside of the rare emergency medical care, there's something of an education with this group every time they hit the floor. The knowledge flows both ways from the youngest to the oldest.
"Pace, because they play with a lot of pace, a lot of IQ, off ball movement around, like, off ball screen, stuff like that. So you just learn stuff like that, little stuff in basketball, they are not all about dribbling, shooting notes, all about the real stuff," Dent said.
For Stockel, the benefits go beyond basketball.
"I just feel like it's a positive for everybody, right? As you know, as young men, old men, were out playing a sport with other men, not doing stupid stuff, but doing it in a positive way. I formed a lot of long term relationships," Stockel said.
In addition to the tendon tear and the broken finger, Stockel has had a torn meniscus for the past six months on which he will be getting an MRI later this month. And if the doctor's advice is to slow down and cut back on the court time, you can probably guess what his reaction will be.
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