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UCLA Club Sports

Men's Club Basketball and FBM Collaborate to Improve the Self and UCLA Community
FBM at the UCLA-USC Football Game Together

Men's Club Basketball and FBM Collaborate to Improve the Self and UCLA Community

BY AMAHD BEY
UCLA Comp Sports Beat Writer
 
Club sport athletes do more than just play organized pick-up games. They also give back to their communities.
 
The men's club basketball team is where members of the Faithful Black Men (FBM) at UCLA choose to spend their free time. FBM has 29 members, while six of them play for the men's club basketball team.
 
FBM aims to unite college men of similar goals, desires, background and ethnicity in order to better the culture, community and overall well being of black men and the campus.
 
With a focus on mental health, they help promote growth in self, manhood and leadership through hosting events such as their Sunday study sessions. Members – and even non-members – meet to go over, study and build a bond together. While these bonds are being formed, it allows for members to feel more comfortable about talking about issues going on in their lives that may be weighing heavy on their minds, and in a way alleviates the pressure of the situation.
 
A first year and current FBM member, Kobe Uwagboi, elaborated on how he felt that FBM supports him and what he does.
 
"FBM gives me a space where I can communicate with others," Uwagobi said. "(I talk about) how I'm feeling and gain insight and advice on similar experiences that others have had."
 
Imagine having friends and not just classmates, brothers and not just teammates, and a family instead of just an audience in the crowd. Club sports and FBM wants you to have that and much more.
 
Club sports also wants its players to feel supported on and off the field and so does FBM's second Vice President Nygel Lewis.
 
"I feel like FBM is a tight unit. A unit that exemplifies the essence of brotherhood," Lewis said. "Each member brings a different intellect and perspective to the overall ideal of community, which is why we don't mind coming to our men's basketball games."
        
The team took on CSU Northridge earlier this year in an intense preseason matchup. It was a seesaw game and the energy and emotions ran high, but with the support and presence of FBM late in the game on the sidelines, it gave UCLA's club team the extra energy needed to pull away in the final minutes. Point guard and FBM Vice President Ka'Ron Marshall stated his appreciation of the on-campus organization.
 
"I want to thank FBM for coming out and supporting the team," Marshall said. "We played a very tough opponent and it was their energy that helped us push through."
        
Men's club basketball will be hosting UC Irvine from Jan. 28 - Feb. 2 with the help of FBM's cheers from the bleachers.
 
Come support, because we are not just students or athletes, we are friends.
 
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