Even before he could walk, eighth-grader Adam Agresta knew he was going to play basketball. Agresta grew up with a fond memory of a basketball always being by his side.
“My dad grew up playing [basketball], so I just always have a basketball in my hand, “ he said. “I always had a passion for [the sport].”
Agresta’s love of basketball is shared by many other kids around the country. According to research done by Aspen Institute, basketball is the most-played youth sport in the United States, with 36.8% of youth athletes participating in it. Trinity’s campus reflects this overwhelming popularity of basketball, with 4 different boys basketball teams. Agresta is part of the eighth-grade team, along with 17 other players.
Although the passion for basketball doesn’t extend to the same degree to the girls’ game, senior Varsity Girls basketball player Samantha Male points to the camaraderie afforded by a sport by a team, like basketball.
“Basketball is how I met a lot of my close friends, and being a part of something [bigger makes the sport special],” Male said.
While there are certainly other team sports available to kids, basketball’s rules make the game easier to understand, and the sport doesn’t require any special equipment. The game’s simplicity in regulations and equipment allows players of all ages to excel, according to eighth-grade Head Basketball Coach Mike Davis.
“Boys basketball is one of the easier [and more accessible] sports, meaning that all you need is a ball,” Davis said. “I think boys have this natural competitive nature about them. And basketball is something that easily brings that out.”
Although the rules are easy to learn, boys varsity senior captain Adrien Quiros said that learning the skills and effort for basketball is not easy. Quiros has competed at a high level, playing varsity for three years and playing with numerous travel teams, for the majority of his life, and recognizes that there is more to the game than people think.
“I don’t think it’s an easy game because it’s way more physical than it seems,” Quiros said. “There are a lot of rules that if you don’t practice it, you’re not going to be able to play at all.”
Unlike team sports like lacrosse or swimming, basketball has had a well-established and long-standing professional presence with the NBA. According to an NBA study in 2023,
the NBA has around 1.7 million viewers. The professional league helps the sport gain popularity and interest, including Quiros.
“Players like LeBron inspired me when I was little, and I still watch the NBA,” Quiros said. “It’s a topic I can talk about with my friends.”
Sports fans tend to like the team near them or where they’re from. Agresta grew up in Cleveland, Ohio,and automatically became a sports fan, falling in love with the NBA after watching the Cavaliers. NBA players were another inspiration for him to play.
“I actually grew up inOhio. Cleveland was likea big sports town,” Agresta said. “I grew up watching LeBron and Kyrie and they inspired me to continue playing the game.”
Even beyond the large numbers of boys on the school teams, many more come out during break and lunch to play on the outside court. In fact, that court was resurfaced over the holiday break because of how often it is used for both practice and pick-up games.Agresta enjoys the casual pick-up games on the outside court because of the camaraderie that comes even with informal competition.
“The team aspect and being with your friends can bring people together and they can have an enjoyable experience with it.” Agresta said.
