On Thursday nights in Westport, something magical happens. All friend groups, cliques, and previous grievances are thrown aside, and the upperclassmen population of Staples comes together to ball.

Rec Basketball happens.

It’s already established that Rec Basketball is dominant and more important than Staples Basketball. And it’s already been decided that a Rec All-Star team could eviscerate the Staples varsity basketball team.

Tonight was supposed to be the first week of a glorious season. But tonight that has been taken away from us. Due to the impending blizzard, the Westport Department of Parks and Recreation has cancelled all activities for January 2, 2014. This includes 11th and 12th grade Recreational Basketball.

Missing a week of Rec Basketball is tough enough. But then when you consider the fact that we had a full day of school – even though many schools in Connecticut and the surrounding Fairfield County had an early dismissal – it is even tougher.

To be perfectly frank, I’m ticked off that I had to slog through a whole day of school, daydreaming about all the monster dunks I was going to throw down, only to learn that no, I would not be having fun tonight, and no, I would not be able to dominate the competition with my MVP-worthy combination of a Hakeem Olajuwon-esque up and under, and a Magic Johnson-like baby hook.

I understand why Dr. Landon didn’t call an early dismissal – we didn’t really need one. And I understand why the Department of Parks and Recreation cancelled activities for tonight – the snow will be coming very hard, and driving conditions could be dangerous.

But Rec Basketball not only is a tremendous display of basketball skill, pure athleticism, and swag, but it also coalesces the senior class, and to a lesser and far less important extent, the junior class.

Life-long friendships are formed in the Staples Field House, and it’s a shame that we’ll have one less opportunity to do so tonight.