Finding ways to get involved meaningfully can be hard for Middle Schoolers, so when Liam Calder ’30, founder of the basketball moppers club, noticed an inconvenience that was being handled inefficiently, he jumped to find a fix.
“I got inspired from watching varsity basketball games and seeing all the stoppages in play that were slowing the game down,” Calder said. “When I would watch the NBA, seeing all the high school kids run on the court and mop the court always seemed like a fun thing to do, so I tried to translate that to the high school level.”
The moppers help keep players safe and the game moving fast, but there’s so much more meaning than that. Head basketball coach Greg Guiler explains that the importance of this club is in their dedication to serving the community.
“Good community members look for needs that can be met and then meet them with joy,” Guiler said. “(The moppers) identified a need, took pride in getting the mops branded and everything set up, and rallied their friends to join… I smile ear to ear thinking about a Middle Schooler taking that kind of initiative to serve.”
Taking initiative and creating something in the community as a Middle Schooler can feel intimidating. With little interaction with the upperclassmen, stricter rules and less free time, contributing can be difficult. Calder encourages other middle schoolers to work with coaches and faculty to inspire change.
“As a Middle Schooler I think that it’s harder to get involved on campus than high school, but it’s not overly difficult. If you have an idea that you really want to start, all the coaches and everyone in the Middle School office can help make it much easier” Calder said.
The team quickly rallied around the moppers, feeling an increased sense of pride, professionalism, and connection to the community.
“Something as public and prominent as having moppers that I don’t see at any other school causes our guys to have a little more pride and causes them to play with just a little more fire,” Guiler said.
Seeing kids who enjoy the game and willingly take time out of their day to be around the team and help keep the players safe encourages the team to play hard and makes them feel like their brothers are supporting them.
Calder plans on running the club through high school and then passing it down to a younger marksman. Calder sees his club as something that goes beyond himself, eventually making a long-lasting impact.
