As the colds of winter and rains of early spring slowly recede, many Staples students find that their everyday activities move outdoors as temperatures begin to rise.

Of the hobbies undergoing shift, pickup basketball surely ranks supreme for many individuals, as they move from the polished indoor facilities at the local YMCA to the rugged outdoor courts at Compo beach.

While the outdoor season itself usually generates a large amount of excitement, a series of renovations being done on the pair of courts has Staples students wracked with even more anticipation for summer basketball.

“The fact that the courts are gonna be refurbished definitely will draw more people out to play this summer,” Ben Harizman ’17 said. “More people wanting to play will just create a better atmosphere and season in general.”

According to Westport News, the Public Works Commission has allocated “$88,500 dollar to refurbish and enlarge the two basketball courts.” The town stated an intended start date for the renovations as being in mid-April.

“For most people, the biggest problem was probably the backboards and the court’s being dirty. I’m sure once the town enhances the courts those problems won’t exist,” Harizman said.
These efforts come less than two years after a similar project was undergone at the YMCA, where a large scale renovation took place in 2014.

“The Y and the Compo courts are both pillars of Westport pickup basketball,” Harry Garber ’16 said. “The fact that they’re both gonna have been renovated just draws more people to play, which is gonna raise everyone’s playing level.”

Compo Beach Livingstone