With intense competition, unpredictable upsets and Cinderella stories, March Madness is one of the most highly anticipated sports events of the year. In this National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I tournament, 68 teams compete in a high stakes college basketball tournament to be crowned national champions.
March Madness is known for its single-elimination format, meaning that if a team loses their game, they are out of the competition for good. This system levels the playing field, where anyone, even the underdog, can win on a given day. This year, the University of Florida Gators won the national championship as a No.1 seed. However, the tournament consisted of many surprising upsets, such as Drake University’s unexpected win against University of Missouri.
People all over the country are excited to witness a month of fun-filled matchups and high-energy basketball. Fans rush to watch their favorite teams play, and many fill out their own bracket predictions in hopes of predicting the field correctly. This year, 24.4 million brackets were filled out with the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network (ESPN).
At Lambert, March Madness is a great way to bring teammates together, especially on the boys’ basketball team.
“We do an ESPN pool; we all fill out a bracket and compete against each other…we do that every year…It’s a way to stay connected with the basketball group even though the season is over.” Lambert Basketball Coach Wages explained.
March Madness is more than just a tournament, it is something that connects people throughout the country. The tournament gives the Lambert basketball team a way to bond and socialize with each other, even after the end of the season.
Aside from bonding with the team, March Madness gives players a way to personally reconnect with their sport.
“[The season] ended in February, and I think everybody’s tired…They want to rest,” Coach Wages said. “[March Madness] definitely instills a fire into the players like, ‘Hey, I love this sport, and I can’t wait to do it again.’”
After a long, demanding season, March Madness also allows the players to rejuvenate their love for basketball, inspiring them to be constantly improving themselves to grow at the sport. The tournament keeps them connected to the game, exemplifying their future dreams and what they wish to achieve.
Overall, March Madness continues to be a big part of American sports culture, captivating fans with its heated matches and bringing excitement all around. It provides players at Lambert a way to reignite their passion for the sport they love, and strive for more.
