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public-address announcer also sits there, so his microphone is set up and tested. Dixon is not an audio equipment expert, but he has learned on the job what is needed to make sure all the gear is ready for tip-off. “Then we set up the players’ benches on each side,” he continues. “We make sure there are enough chairs for each team and its staff. That includes putting down protective matting beneath the chairs. Then our crew of fifteen to sixteen students gets into the stands and sets them up, which means checking all the seat backs, pulling out stands that were pushed back for earlier events, and cleaning what needs cleaning. “Down on the court, one student drives a Zamboni to shine the court for play.” The Zamboni machine is best known for its use in ice hockey and figure-skating arenas. In those cases, the machines put down a fresh sheet of water that freezes onto the newly cleaned surface. In a gym, a Zamboni is like a giant polishing machine. The court is ready, but there is more to basketball than the court. Along with everything else under the roof of the Thunderdome, the actual gear used in the game falls under Dixon’s area of responsibility.

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