While he walks the sidelines of the court, Maurice Harding looks like the coach of a professional basketball team. Dressed with slacks, a button-up shirt and tie, he watches his team dribbling down the court.
He's not just third floor Mysch/Hurst's resident assistant, but he's the residents' coach.
One year ago, Harding started a six-team basketball league between residents in Johnson Complex. This year, he expended the league to include Johnson, LaFollette and Elliot Halls.
The Westside Basketball Association has 19 teams competing for a chance to play in the championship game in late February.
"People are coming out here," Harding said, about the league. "I knew I'd get a lot of attention when I brought it to LaFollette."
Although the league is for fun and games, Harding's team puts effort into playing well. Harding said his 12-man team, Hurst Three Hoopers, practices twice a week and has a study table. Harding said he spends about eight hours a week working on the WBA.
"The relationship I have with my team is a good strong relationship," he said. "And I'm excited about that."
During halftime of a Hoopers' game, assistant coach Daniel Willaert spoke to the team in the sweaty 12-man huddle, Willaert tried to give encouragement.
"Keep up the good work now, it's a good half," he said.
Afterward, the team shot around for the rest of the half.
Willaert, a freshman political science major, said he thought about playing with the team, but he decided to coach instead. Willaert keeps statistics for the team and promotes events for the league.
"It's fun to be with my friends and players," he said.
Willaert's roommate Austin Dickey attends games as a fan, not as a player.
At a game, Dickey yelled and didn't sit down through the game. He yelled with other Hoopers fans.
"I talk trash-I'm a fan," he said.
Andrew Kent, sophomore and player on the Hoopers, said he enjoys playing basketball on the team, especially since he played basketball almost everyday last year with friends.
Kent said he thinks his team, will do well.
"I'm not trying to be cocky," he said, "but we're going to win it all."
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