The Hanover Police officers will turn in their uniforms and weapons for gym shorts and basketballs tomorrow afternoon when they face off in a basketball game against the Coed Fraternity Sorority Council.
Tip-off is slated for 3:00 p.m. in the west side of Alumni Gymnasium.
The game was scheduled to improve relations between the CFSC and the Hanover Police Department after they soured this summer, when several CFSC members accused the Department of intentionally cracking down on the houses.
Nothing but pride will be on the line tomorrow. The game is "just to play, to put us on base with each other," said Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity President Calvin Daniels '96, who organized the event. "We're going to go out and have fun so we can impress the Hanover Police without getting in trouble."
Each Greek house on campus was allowed to send several players to the team, although not all chose to participate.
The game itself should be a battle. Perhaps the officers are better with a shotgun and the students are better with a shot glass, but it remains to be seen who has the better jump shot.
The CFSC team will rely on youth to beat the officers.
"I think it'll be a good game, they have some good ballplayers," Daniels said. "But we have youth and quickness and endurance on our side."
Adam Scheier '95, athletic chair at Beta Theta Pi fraternity, will coach the CSFC team. "I expect some fouls in the form of police brutality," he said with a laugh.
But it may be not be that far from the truth.
Although the police team was busy preparing for the game yesterday, sources close to the team confirmed Scheier's fears.
"From speaking to the officers who are playing, it will most likely be an aggressively fought game on their part," said Hanover Police Sergeant Chris O'Connor. "They're probably going to power their way to the basket. Most of the guys that play in our department ... are always complaining how banged up they get."
The game will be played under rules similar to intramural competition. The game will be two 20-minute haves but, unlike intramurals, will not have continuously running time.
Rahul Mathur '95 and Eric Swanson '96 will officiate.
Perhaps not coincidentally, both officials are members of fraternities, Mathur in Sigma Nu and Swanson in Beta.
