Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — Rod Willie confessed. BMC West recruited.

Before the adult basketball league season began, Willie went out and gathered Chris Adams and Jason Patrick, Steamboat Springs basketball coaches and former Sailors players, to join his team in its quest for its first-ever tournament title.

A 54-33 win over Concordia in the Division II finals brought the recreational season to a successful conclusion for BMC West.

"This is the fourth or fifth year we've played together, but this is the first year we won," Willie said. "We recruited. We loaded up."

Seventeen teams took part in the adult basketball league this winter. Games were held Sunday nights on the high school gym courts.

Many participants in Division I and Division II grew up playing high school basketball on the same courts -- at least the old court.

Kelly Meek, longtime coach for the Sailors, is still called Coach Meek by his former players. He even turned out for a couple of games, though he was never recruited to play.

His competitive spirit was certainly evident on the floor.

"Everybody wants to win," Willie said. "At the same time, it's fun. A lot of the guys are out there to get exercise. "

Youth, perhaps more than basketball experience, helped contribute to Team Fletch's championship in the Division I level. It defeated the Lakers, 56-44.

"We only had five or six guys so we kept most of the same guys on the court," Fletch member Eric McClelland said. "We ran a lot, too. We were able to use running up and down the court to our advantage, being younger than some of the others."

Team Fletch, named after the movie starring Chevy Chase, didn't win the regular season title --the Lakers did -- but Team Fletch went on to win the tournament.

"I have the trophy sitting here at the Chamber," McClelland said. "For the record, Parks and Rec gave it to us with a taped ankle. We do enjoy it because it gives it character."

Division I was the higher of the two divisions, though both fielded competitive teams.

In recent years, McClelland said, his division has grown more competitive as the talent has dispersed through several teams.

"It's a pretty level playing field," McClelland said. "I definitely think the best two teams made it to the finals. We had a good game, and then we went and spent $400 at Slopeside."

While basketball is the most popular winter rec sport, evidenced by its 17 teams, volleyball is the smallest with nine.

But that doesn't mean those who do take part in the Wednesday night games aren't appreciative of the city's efforts to put together organized games.

Christy Valpey, captain of the champion Sports Med team, said it's important for people to be able to get together and play organized sports. With volleyball, it's important to not only have an indoor facility, but a net and equipment and a scheduled time to plan around.

Rec leagues provide that.

Sports Med defeated the Four Hit Wonders, 21-10, in the finals. There was only one division in volleyball.

Sports Med had to forfeit one match during the season because of a lack of players, but other than that, the team won all its games, Valpey said.

"There were four of us that played like six years ago and none of us had played since," she said.