Emily McKeehan
Staff Writer
On any given Monday, Wednesday or Friday at noon, one could walk into Summers Gymnasium and find a basketball game in action. But at this game, the scoreboard is off, the stands are empty and staff and faculty members are the primary players.
Noon ball was started in 1978 by Accreditation Liason Ken Froemke and Brian Richardson, who at the time was head of the Christian Ministry Department. Initially including both basketball and volleyball, Froemke and Richardson created it for the purpose of “faculty fellowship and exercise.”
Froemke said that while volleyball was eventually dropped from the games, faculty members have played noon ball every week since it began, even through summer time and during breaks throughout the school year.
Travis Ricketts, associate professor of history, said that noon ball is usually attended by six to 12 people, including Bryan faculty and some students as well as members of the Dayton community.
Bruce Morgan, dean of students, said that he appreciates noon ball for the fun and exercise it provides throughout the week.
“It is nice to go down there and forget about the papers you’re grading for an hour,” Ricketts said. “It helps us keep our sanity.”