Disaster struck early in the 22nd annual Coady Roundball Classic, held April 21-22, at the University of Illinois-Chicago Gymnasium—from a basketball standpoint, that is.
An Atlanta player in B Division dunked the ball. It broke the rim and shattered the glass backboard.
"It was a legit dunk; it wasn't from hanging on the rim," Sam Coady said.
Tournament organizers quickly rescheduled games, and some games were moved to an adjacent court.
"It really was a fun weekend," Coady said.
The Coady Roundball Classic is the largest and longest annual gay basketball tournament, and this year featured 34 teams, 310 players and 83 games over two days.
"The event was great; everything went smooth … beside the broken backboard," said co-director Steve Waldron of Chicago.
The event featured six teams in the top-tiered A-Division, 18 in B, and 10 in C.
"The competition was great," Coady said, "and it really was good to have 10 teams in C-Division, which included a bunch of new players."
Coady did not play in the event due to nagging injuries, but hopes to return to the court next year.
"It's been fun to see how the tournament has developed, with so many new players," said Mark Satre, 60, who lives in Sacramento, Calif., and is the only one who has played in all 22 Coady Classics.
"HIV/AIDS took out a huge percent of the players, talented players from the [early] years. That's something I always reflect on."
Plus, years ago Satre won a gay volleyball national championship at the same UIC gym.
"The event was great," said Los Angeles' Mark Chambers, the founder and president of the National Gay Basketball Association (NGBA).
The Coady is about memories—on and off the court. For instance, Mike McRaith, the former Chicagoan now living in Washington D.C., was back playing—and winning a championship—for his Chicago team. This was his 20th Coady.
"My [2012 Coady] highlight was seeing a longtime friend who I had not seen in years," McRaith said. "He was back [in the tournament], playing with his partner, and their two children were here, too, as well as his parents. The Coady isn't just about basketball; it's about family."
That includes the gay Chicago player for McRaith's B-Division team who was joined by his straight twin brother.
"The Coady is just a great experience," McRaith said. "People come to the event from literally all over the country, and there's such a diverse age-range [of players], as well as all races and skill-levels. Everyone plays together, enjoying basketball, with good camaraderie and even better competition. And yes, the competition can be fierce out there.
"The event is still a lot of fun for me. … I just wish I was as good as I was a few years ago."
Like many others, McRaith said he plans to return to Chicago for the 2013 event "if my knees hold up," he said.
Championship games:
A-Division:
Winner: The Living Legends
Runner-up: Atlanta Trade
B-Upper Division:
Winner: New York Gay Basketball (NYCGBL)
Runner-up: Los Angeles Metro
B-Middle Division:
Winner: Chicago Has-Bens
Runner-up: MMG
B-Lower Division:
Winner: Los Angeles Dream
Runner-up: DC Sentinels
C-Upper Division:
Winner: Chicago Gotcha Covered
Runner-up: Chicago Rec Specs
C-Lower Division:
Winner: Salt Lake Hardwood
Runner-up: Milwaukee Woody's
