[This article by sports writer Tom Joyce appears in the current March/April 2018 issue of Boston Spirit Magazine. Subscribe for free today!]
Regardless of who they love or what their skill level is, the Boston Gay Basketball League has been an inclusive environment for the city’s population over the past 24 years.
The league is well-established, complete with 14 teams split between two divisions, many of whom are named after their respective sponsors.
In recent years, the league has started to branch out and expand itself, and it will continue doing such.
This past August, it was granted nonprofit status, helping the league in its conquest to give back to the community. At their Christmas Party this season, they collected personal care items to donate to the Boston Living Center, the nonprofit that helps HIV positive people in the Boston community. They also held their third annual “LipSync Throwdown” on February 18, an event where the proceeds benefit Boston’s Victory Programs. The league also coordinates with charitable causes and can mobilize its bevy of players to help said cause.
“If someone needs a group of volunteers for one night, we have guys who can help them out,” commissioner David Harding said.
Plus, the league is set to expand. Next year, they are set to add one or two teams to the Division 2 level to give more people a chance to play basketball.
“There’s been overwhelming demand, especially for people in Division 2, to join the league,” Harding said. “Our wait list has been pretty long these past few years—and we want to give more people the opportunity to play.”
Even in the past few years, some of the league’s players at the Division 1 level—the division for experienced basketball players—have noticed an uptick in the league’s skill. Essentially everyone on those teams has a basketball or athletic background.
“It’s gotten a lot more competitive,” Tim Walsh, an Ashland native who has earned the league’s MVP award in the past, said. “We have some great allies here. I think every year it gets better. We have a great gym space and it’s very well-run. It’s fun to show up every year.”
“It’s a lot of fun,” Scott McIsaac, who has been in the league for nearly 20 years, added. “When I first started, it was very interesting to find a league that was gay-oriented and competitive. I didn’t know that was something that existed. Now, they’re a really important part of my life.”
The players enjoy the experience in the league for a handful of reasons, but Harding noted one major reason why that is in this age where social media has overtaken in-person interactions.
“Gay life has turned to Grindr and social apps, so this is a great way to meet people face-to-face—not just looking for drinking or sex,” he said. “We’re here to meet people and have a good time.”
Although the league’s officers have overwhelming responsibilities at times, it is worth it for them to be able to connect players on a human level.
“It means a lot. I think regardless of what division you play, it’s an opportunity to meet new people in the winter,” assistant commissioner Mike Brosseau said. “It’s a way to meet a new family, if you will. We try to do socials every couple of weeks. We really try to engage our guys with one another.”
For the league’s players, being able to play in it helps give them a sense of community—especially if they are new to the city or have only recently come out as gay.
“I moved to Boston in 2011 and didn’t really have a gay life,” Harding said. “I was actually kind of nervous to walk into the gym the first night of playing with these guys. Somehow, I became commissioner after a few years. I really enjoy the league. Not just playing-wise, I also love the social aspect, the community involvement and all that. Meeting people with similar backgrounds though got me to open up.”
In both leagues, there is mandated playing time for players, a minimum of eight minutes per game. This ensures that novice players at the Div. 2 level have the opportunity to play if they sign up.
During the summer, there is also an outdoor league that gives more players the opportunity to play because the league does not have to pay to secure permits for outdoor courts. This keeps the cost low and they are able to offer eight week seasons for $35. When playing outdoors, they also have the courts for longer (two-and-a-half hours as opposed to two hours) than they do in the winter; it also gives the players an opportunity to compete while enjoying fresh air.
Perhaps the most surprising aspect of the league may be the handful of straight allies who compete in it.
“I love that there’s people who don’t care that they’re playing in a predominantly gay league,” Harding said. “They just want to support their friends and play basketball.”
It is that mindset of acceptance regardless of athletic ability or sexual orientation that has allowed the league to thrive over the years. It is also why interest in it is still high nearly a quarter of a century into its existence.
For details, go to bgbl.com.
