Every night the Dana College men’s basketball team takes to the court, they play a quality opponent. And every night, the Vikings go for the win aggressively on both offense and defense.

“ We play very aggressively,” said Head Coach Chris Fear. “On defense, we use a lot of pressure man-to-man. I would call our offense a fast-breaking style. It’s a fun way to play and a fun way to coach.”

As to the competition, Dana belongs to the Great Plains Athletic Conference, one of the strongest in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, boasting several former national champions.

Fear’s strategy for prospering in such a tough environment is to focus on making both the Vikings’ varsity and junior varsity teams the best they can be, not just on the court but in all facets of the collegiate life.

“ I think our program is well respected by the faculty and other students,” Fear said. Two members of the team serve on the Student Senate and more than half the team annually appears on the Dean’s List for outstanding academic achievement, with an overall team grade point average always more than 3.0.

In looking for recruits, Fear wants to see the same commitment to excellence past players have shown.

“ We are always looking for quality players at every position,” he said. “When players get here we tell them that they are not guaranteed anything except the opportunity to play.”

Fear expects students to give just as much time and effort to academics as they do to basketball. Above all else, he wants his players to show the same loyalty to the program as he does.

Student athletes also enjoy a commitment from the college. The 2003-04 team was the first to compete in the college’s new $6 million athletic facility, the Gardner-Hawks Center. That team also traveled to a winter tournament in West Palm Beach, Fla.

All together, the experiences student athletes gain from participating in Dana men’s basketball last a lifetime.

“ Athletics teaches you a great deal about life,” he said. “You learn about working together and being able to compete at a high level.”