For many high school athletes, the pressure of it all can overthrow the fun. But some students figured out a way around all the stress by joining the Neighborhood Club. Neighborhood Club basketball is an opportunity for anyone to play some basketball with all their friends and have some good competition between people of all grades of high school. AJ Zieleniewski ’26 is one of the students who is quite involved with the organization.
“It’s about who you hangout with, like your friend group. That’s what most teams are—just their boys playing some ball,” Zieleniewski said.
Unlike school basketball, where practices are often, this league provides a lot of flexibility. “There’s no pressure, and you can do whatever you want,” Dane Lezotte ‘26 said. “Also, there aren’t practices every day of the week.”
The league structure is fairly simple. Younger teams compete for one championship, while sophomores and juniors compete for another, and lastly, juniors and seniors compete for their own title. Teams compete against other grades while also still playing against teams in their grade. What really makes Neighborhood Club basketball different is the absence of formal coaches, giving players the freedom to manage their own teams and strategies.
“Even though everyone gets pretty competitive, it is still a more relaxed environment to play in than school,” Jack Cotton ’26 said. “Especially because your team is all your friends.”
For Zieleniewski, he had lots of highlights from his season, but the jokes that emerged from the games are definitely his favorite part. When asked about his favorite memory, he answered quickly. “Carson Kennedy air-balling a layup.”
Winning remains a goal for all players but its not the only reason the players joined these teams. “ I joined because one of my friends was putting together a team, and I just wanted to play,” Cotton said. “It’s a chance to have fun with friends and still keep a competitive atmosphere.”
Lezotte regards winning the championship his favorite memory from his experience last year. “Winning was our goal and hopefully we will win the older championship this year,” Lezotte said. “But winning definitely isn’t the only reason we play, it’s also just about having a fun experience.”
Confidence is a big part of this game, almost as much as the friendships. Every team believes they are unbeatable and they are challenged to show that on the court. When asked if his team will win the big championship this year,
“No Doubt,” Zieleniewski said.
