Kezar Pavilion
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Kezar Pavilion |
Kezar Pavilion, located adjacent to
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In 2007 the San Francisco Bay Bombers and roller derby returned to the pavilion. Kezar was not only used by the Bombers for home season games, but the team also held tryouts in the building. In 2011 the Bay Area Derby Girls hosted their first double-header at the pavilion.
In 2006 Kezar Pavilion became the home of ChickFight female professional wrestling tournaments, and San Francisco Pro Wrestling company Fog City Wrestling secured the Kezar pavilion as their new home in 2008 due to an increase in demand.
As of 2013, Kezar is also a venue for San Francisco high school basketball games. The arena has accommodated numerous different sports, ranging from middle school volleyball to professional boxing. The versatility of the arena means that the differing requirements of various sports can be met, from professional basketball game to recreational indoor soccer. Kezar was discussed as a possible badminton or table tennis venue, for the purpose of training or qualifying, for San Francisco's 2012 Summer Olympics bid.[citation needed]
San Francisco Summer League Pro-AM
Kezar Pavilion is home to the San Francisco Summer League Pro-Am. The San Francisco Pro-Am Summer League Pro-Am is for former and current male and female professional and/or college basketball players. High school players are also welcome to participate in the league. Men and women do not play against each other and are in separate leagues. The San Francisco Summer League Pro-Am originally started in 1979 and has continued each summer since then. The league is supported by the San Francisco Recreation & Parks Department summer programming.[1] The idea behind the summer Pro-Am league is that it adds to the quality of life around the Bay Area and provide locals with an opportunity to see high level competition at no cost. At no cost, the league has become a place for those who cannot afford to attend local college or professional basketball games.
There are no league tryouts for the San Francisco Pro-Am. There is an open-roster policy all season long if the head coach wants to add players. Coaches for each team hand select players for their teams. The season begins in June and ends in August. Games are played Monday-Thursday and are all played at 8:00PM. NBA players in the Pro-Am have included Steph Curry, Aaron Gordon, Jason Kidd, and Jason Richardson. WNBA players to play in the women's league have included Devanei Hampton, Christy Hedgpeth, and Jennifer Azzi. Azzi was the head coach of the women's basketball team at the University of San Francisco from 2010 to 2016.[2]
The Pro-Am is an opportunity for professional players to interact with fans and also to improve their game. Many professional players come to the Pro-Am to train and play in a different environment than they are used to. The San Francisco Summer League Pro-Am awards MVP's (Most Valuable Player) and has a playoff format at the end of the season. The championship series is a best of 3 series, with the league champion is the first to win two games. The games operate under most professional basketball guidelines, with a 24-second shot clock. The quarter length is 10 minutes, as opposed to 12 in the NBA or WNBA. Each team has 5 timeouts per game, with one allowed if the game goes into overtime. The team with the best record in their respective league wins the regular season. The playoffs are made up of 5 teams. The winner of the regular season has a first round bye.[3]
Many local college and high school players have participated in the San Francisco Pro-Am. Players include former Saint Ignatius players Kenny Hatch and Stephen Domingo, Archbishop Mitty High School's Aaron Gordon, and Serra High School's Henry Caruso. The San Francisco Pro-Am is highly popular among players trying to develop into better players and gain attention from NBA or international organization scouts.
The 2017 summer season champions was team Bay Pride, led by head coaches Al Gordan and Frank Williams. Bay Pride beat Dream Team in the best of 3 series. Dream Team featured the 2017 San Francisco Pro-Am MVP, Juan Anderson.[4]
The 2017 men's regular season standings were:[5]
- Bay Pride: 6-1
- South Bay: 5-2
- Oakland Believers: 5-2
- Dream Team: 4-3
- East Bay: 3-4
- SF City: 2-5
- Bay City: 2-6
- Bay Raiders: 1-6
Entertainment
Concerts for artists such as
See also
References
- ^ "SF Bay Area Pro-Am". sanfranciscoproam.com. Retrieved 2018-05-04.
- ^ "SF Bay Area Pro-Am". www.sanfranciscoproam.com. Retrieved 2018-05-04.
- ^ "SF Bay Area Pro-Am". www.sanfranciscoproam.com. Retrieved 2018-05-04.
- ^ "SF Bay Area Pro-Am". www.sanfranciscoproam.com. Retrieved 2018-05-04.
- ^ "SF Bay Area Pro-Am". www.sanfranciscoproam.com. Retrieved 2018-05-04.
- ISBN 9780879308483.