Unicyclists hit the hardwood
JACKSON TWP — Basketball can be a hard game to master for many people, but don't tell that to those assembled at the Seneca Valley Middle School gymnasium Thursday afternoon.
There was no squeaking of sneakers on the hardwood court, no pounding of feet, and certainly no flashy displays of between-the-legs dribbling.
That's because each player rode a unicycle during a basketball tournament comprised of players from around the world.
Six teams assembled for the daylong event, just one of dozens that are part of the overall North American Unicycling Convention and Championships this week in southwestern Butler County.
The game largely remains the same: there are three pointers, free throws, tip-offs and hard fouls. The rule for traveling is a tad different, however. It is considered a violation if the player takes a full revolution without dribbling the ball.
But anyone who thinks this is only a goofy pickup game, think again.
Jim Sowers came all the way from Oakland, Calif., to coach his team to victory. His players, primarily from California but also including one from Puerto Rico, ran like a well-oiled machine on the court.
The team, called the Cal Uni's, scored 30 points in only 12 minutes of game action. They won easily in their semifinal game and advanced to play in the championship held later in the afternoon.
“As you can imagine, it takes a certain amount of skill to do this,” Sowers said with a smile. “You're constantly switching directions, speeding up and slowing down, all while trying to maintain balance.”
However, there were remarkably few instances of bodies hitting the floor, unless it was the result of fouls or collisions. And needless to say, falling off a unicycle onto the hardwood is a bit different than a regular basketball foul.
Roscoe and Marge Mulvey of Jackson Township sat in the stands flabbergasted at what they saw. Roscoe, a World War II veteran, said he'd never seen anything like it in his life.
“The amount of balance and skill this takes, it's really fascinating,” he said.
Marge Mulvey said she read about the convention in the newspaper and knew she couldn't pass up an opportunity to see such a spectacle.
“We thought it'd be interesting,” she said. “We were right.”
George Carra came from Melbourne, Australia, to participate in the convention. He had a smile as wide as the Outback Thursday as he watched two teams battle on the court with their unicycles.
Also a competitor in the basketball tournament, Carra said his main event is the unicycle marathon, his main reason for traveling so far to the convention.
He comes to see so many friends he's made over the years at unicycling events. But he also came to get in shape for next year's world championships in Montreal.
“Australia is several hundred feet more below sea level than it is here,” he said. “So I came this year to get a feel for the terrain and mountains and altitude. Although what you call mountains here, we call slopes in Australia.”
Back on the court, Hans Mills warmed up with his team before their semifinal game. Hailing from a suburb of Detroit, Mills said he would never pass up a chance to participate in the convention.
To make it even better, Mills would be facing his son on the court in their semifinal game.
“So, there's a little bit more motivation there,” he said.
The convention will continue into the weekend and conclude Saturday with a banquet and awards ceremony at 6 p.m. at the Center of Harmony.
