NOVEMBER 2005

Joey Jonna goes for a basket
Chris Abbo looks for an opening
The CBA currently holds league play in both the
fall and winter seasons. Each league has six teams,
consisting of one captain and seven players. That
means 48 athletes between the ages of 25-48 play in
the CBA, and more try to get in each season.
“There’s sort of a waiting list,” Kyriakoza said.
“The only time we’re able to get somebody in is
when somebody quits or we have a couple guys
that move, or something like that. We pretty
much have the same core, the same guys that are
playing over and over.”
League officials are considering adding two
more teams, giving 16 additional players the
opportunity to compete. One big factor increasing
the odds for expansion is the league’s new home,
the gymnasium at Shenandoah Country Club,
which opened in the spring.
“We built that gym because there was no place for
us to play,” Sarafa said. “We’ve always had to rent
gyms, and at ungodly hours. We moved from school
to school; we always have played very late. Gym programs
and usage are very competitive. The fact that
the Shenandoah members agreed to build the gym is
fantastic. It’s helping our programs get very popular.”
Kyriakoza agrees it’s a vast improvement from
having to rent high schools or middle schools.
“From the league’s standpoint, it’s great that we
can just walk in and play without waiting for the
gym teacher to leave and worry about this thing or
that thing,” he added. “We will take care of it and
the guys are pretty good about that too. They help
clean up. They consider it their own.”
With the new Shenandoah facility, the league
has a bigger time block to work with; players also
have access to locker rooms or gather in the
lounge afterward to talk over the game.
“It’s a fun league, everybody knows everybody,”
Kyriakoza said. “But it’s pretty competitive on the
court. You can pretty much crash into each other
and all that, but after that you hang out together.”
At the same time, Sarafa expects more and
more sporting groups to call the Shenandoah gymnasium
home, resulting in new competition for
court time. The country club also sponsors leagues
in several sports, including adult basketball and
youth soccer.
“Once upon a time we were just happy to go in a gym
and just shoot and play hoops anywhere, whether it was
eight in the morning or midnight.”
— CBA COMMISSIONER TOM KYRIAKOZA
ANY GIVEN SUNDAY
Shenandoah isn’t the only place where recreational
leagues are thriving. About 66 athletes gather at
Birmingham Groves high school on Sunday mornings
to play in the Chaldean Football League.
Like the CBA, the CFL has moved around from
field to field over the years, but has gradually
become more structured and competitive.
“When I first came in the league there were five
teams,” said Joe Jonna, an eight-year CFL veteran
and team captain. “It’s much more organized now.
We had tryouts for open sports in the leagues, and
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NOVEMBER 2005 CHALDEAN NEWS 43