Donkey+Basketball

=Donkey Basketball=



Summary:
Donkey Basketball is a popular event at Belleville West High School. The seniors have a lot of fun competing against each other, while riding donkeys. The history of this exciting event has a long history with West. Long standing traditions continue with each year new seniors take the reigns of becoming the champions of Donkey Basketball. Students in 1988 trying to shoot for their team.

History:
According to the 1946 yearbook of Belleville West, Donkey Basketball started with the senior girls vs. the senior boys. Then within the boys and girls they would be divided into more girls and boys teams. Once that has happened the smaller girls and boys teams will play each other in riding donkeys to score points for the girls or boys team. By hitting the rim of the basketball hoop will give your team points and add up to determine whether the senior boys or girls won. Throughout the years this basketball game was for the senior students, but the teachers now have made a women and men teacher’s teams to battle against each other. Back in the year of 1958, the students rode not only real live donkeys but also wooden donkeys. As the students have said the wooden donkeys were harder to ride than the real thing. All the students looked forward to this event of Hobo week. In the last couple of years the Donkey Basketball game has been moved into second semester, instead of at the end of Hobo week. Since the start of Donkey Basketball, the Bellevinois and Student Council have put their time into keeping Donkey Basketball a tradition at Belleville West. This is a yearbook cartoon from 1947 depicting the boy senior's victory.

Traditions:
Belleville West has a list of endless traditions that the students follow each year. First, everyone comes to the gym to watch the seniors try to attain points for their team. Every year there has been a massive turn out to witness the hilarious event. All the teams of seniors have been consistent in producing clever t-shirts for their team. Even though in the early years the t-shirts were hand made, the students now have turned to pre-ordered t-shirts. The most recent tradition involves the freshman Student Council members. These select few freshmen get to be the pooper-scoopers. They help to clean off the floors for the next team to go without being stuck in something left behind from a donkey. Seniors create orginal designs for t-shirts to support their team.

The Rules:
Riding on a donkey playing basketball is hard enough as it seems. However, there are rules to help guide you through the game. First of all, you don't have to dribble the ball. You must also hold onto your donkey at all times. If you are not holding onto your donkey when you have the ball, then the other team gets the ball. To pass the ball, you must be on a donkey and the person you are passing the ball to must be on a donkey. You must also be on your donkey to score. The rules for boys and girls very too. If you are on the girl's team, if you hit the rim with the ball, you get a point. If you make a basket, you get two points. For boys, you have to make a basket to get a point.

Created by Alyssa Ferry and Jenny Baker