With BYU basketball in full swing, that means BYU’s Dunk Team is too.
Coach David Eberhard created the BYU Dunk Team in 2009 after having experiences on professional dunk teams and being a NBA mascot. The tryouts for the team are difficult but for good reason as they have to keep up with Cosmo, who has gone viral because of his wild stunts and tricks with the Dunk Team.
The athletes on the dunk team come from all backgrounds such as gymnastics, dancing, basketball and even pole vaulting. The team typically practices every Tuesday and Thursday and are required to go to the weight room everyday on their own, as well as perform at basketball half times up to three times a week.
Although the dunk team has to keep up with a busy schedule, Dunk Team member, Jake Stephenson, said it’s all worth it. “It is so worth it. It is honestly the highlight of my BYU experience.”
Eberhard said that his favorite part of the Dunk Team is giving back to the community with his team as they do two dunk shows a week for the program ‘Cougar Strong’ which is for elementary schools.
“Mainly what we do is performance during halftime shows, during other sporting events and community outreaches. We go to middle schools and high schools and perform for them,” said Sayre Stewart, member of the Dunk Team.
The team is also headed to China this summer with other performing arts students and will tour three cities where the will put on dunk shows. Until then, the team will continue to visit local schools and perform for students here in Utah.
“As we are in the community we are trying to help kids overcome some of the challenges they face so they feel that there is an opportunity in the community to give back or to serve or to get help if they need help,” Eberhard said.
You can catch the Dunk Team’s next show on Wednesday when they perform at the half time of the BYU and Rice men’s basketball game at the Marriott Center.
