My Alma Mater: Prison Ball

More than 40 years later, Abigail Obenchain (in 1982, reclining on the wall) recalls her basketball game against inmates at the Dwight Correctional Center as one of the defining experiences of her life. (Image courtesy of Abigail Obenchain)

What would you say if I told you that on April 3, 1982, a group of mostly U. of I. freshmen traveled to the Dwight Correctional Center—a maximum-security women’s prison—to play a game of basketball?

Believe it or not, it happened. And it was one of the most amazing experiences of my life.

The prison had put out a call for intramural teams to play the inmates, and we were the only U. of I. team that agreed. I was the eldest team member (age 21) and the resident advisor for the others, all of whom lived on Blaisdell III, in PAR. (Our coach, Steve Zaruba, ’83 BUS, joined us.)

I remember arriving at the prison, going through security and being searched. And boy, do I remember the game! The inmate team had some incredible athletes, and though we weren’t superstars, we knew the rules better—so we drew many fouls, with opportunities for free throws.

But the inmates were determined, and they had the home-field advantage. Throughout the game, I noticed their fans—fellow inmates—cheering wildly from the sidelines, and it dawned on me that this game really mattered to them. I took a deep breath, let go, and let the day be about them. When the inmates won, the gym erupted, and it felt to me like they had won the Olympic gold medal!

My teammates and I looked at each other in wonder. We realized we’d been part of something special. We—a group of ordinary young women who had no clue what we were getting into—had, for one day, made a group of imprisoned people’s lives a little less awful.

So, did our parents know about this? I doubt I’d told mine beforehand. Without email and cell phones, parents then were much more removed from their college kids’ lives. But it was a different time in many ways. I doubt such a game would be allowed today, and it’s a shame.

More than 40 years later, I understand that that game was one of the many college experiences that shaped me into a better human. I grew up in Wilmette, a wealthy Chicago suburb, and knew little of the hardships that many others face, especially racialized people who are overrepresented in prisons due to systemic racism and poverty. That game took me out of my comfort zone and helped me see the humanity of women in prison and to realize my privilege.

But even before that, the U. of I. had broadened my outlook simply by introducing me to people whose backgrounds were different from mine: blue-collar kids, kids from farm families, kids from Chicago’s South Side or Hong Kong. Before moving to Champaign, I’d never had a conversation with a Black or Asian person and, all of a sudden, they were my peers.

Looking back, I’m so grateful for how Illinois shaped my worldview and deepened my compassion and my passion for social justice. Thank you for everything, U. of I.!

Abigail Obenchain is a retired science communications specialist and lives with her husband Bill Cole, ’83 ACES, in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.

Share your campus experience! Email: illinoisalumni@uillinois.edu