What to do with that old barn on the property is a question that many landowners ask themselves. Many choose to have it torn down and sell the reclaimed wood to companies like Aged Woods. This allows the antique wood to be reused to make floorboards that are second to none. There are some landowners that choose to keep their barn and some of the uses are quite unique. A family in Indiana had somewhat of an obvious and yet unique solution.
Basketball is in every Indianans blood. From the story of tiny Milan defeating Muncie Central (and later immortalized on the silver screen) to win the state title to the storied college programs of the state to the NBA team that calls the state home basketball is Indiana. Some of the greatest names to ever hit the hardwood hailed from the state. Greats like Steve Alford, Larry Bird, Gregg Popovich, Oscar Robertson (who was on that Muncie Central team), Glenn Robinson and Scott Skiles, to stars of today like Gordon Hayward, Mike Conley and Zach Randolph as well as pioneers like John Wooden and Chuck Taylor.
So it should be no surprise that in Indiana a family converted the hayloft in their old barn into a basketball court. The Beetz family got the idea from a friend who had a hoop set up in their barn. Since that family had no TV the basketball hoop provided the entertainment. The barn proved to be the ideal location. It could be used in the winter just as easily as the summertime and it could be used when it was raining or snowing meaning year round practice. Perfect for the family’s kids who were starting to get into the game with a passion.
As the children grew up they played high school basketball and the pickup games became known as “barn ball.” Eventually had children of their own and now it is their grandchildren’s turn to play barn ball.
The idea has caught on and has undoubtedly saved many barns from demolition. For some it is incorporated into the home. Very few things say style like having a barn attached to your home after all. Basketball is the perfect sport to create a court inside a barn as Nearly any surface can be used and a hoop is the only thing that needs to be installed. A full sized court is not even necessary. It is only fitting since many an Indianian has hung a basketball hoop on the sides of barns for ages, taking it inside was the next logical step.
