In every group there is the one person who is willing to do what it takes to make sure everyone else succeeds: the sixth man.

The Sixth Man Club on campus was founded on this single principle – a principle it hopes will help gain the basketball program respect.

This club was made to help build the basketball program, enhancing the opportunities to the men who play.

“The sixth man is the first man off the bench,” said Terry Wanless, athletic director. “He’s the guy that comes in and gives the team a spark.”

The Sixth Man Club was founded in 1985 by alumnus and former president Jack Ford. The club was in effect until 2000, and was revitalized later in 2006, said basketball operations director Travis Okamoto.

The club was framed around the sixth-man principle to provide extra support and encouragement for the basketball program.

It provides extra money to support the team’s activities through the various donations from club members.

The extra money is spread throughout the entire program. However most of the money goes to recruiting and supplies, Wanless said.

“The major goals are to enhance the men’s basketball program and the experience that the student athletes have in that program,” he said..

Wanless said there is never a set amount of money the program expects to earn from donations. In a normal year, the club can get up to $20,000 in donations.

Not only do the student-athletes and coaching staff receive benefits from the club, but contributing members do as well.

Club members are placed in a subgroup based on the amount of donations contributed: the Baseline Club, the Victory Club, the Coaches Club, the Above The Rim Club and the Katz Klub.

These subgroups each have their own ranking and amount of benefits they will receive. The amount of benefits a member receives depends on how much they donate.

Contribution benefits that members receive include name recognition on the team’s website, monthly chats with coach Brian Katz, banquet invitations and season tickets to games and events, email updates on club events and lunches hosted by Katz.

The Sixth Man Club is giving the young men of the basketball team a chance to feel accepted by the community as well as Sac State.

“Those young men that play basketball feel when their basketball career is over that the university did everything it could to support them and give them a positive experience,” Wanless said.

Being built on the sixth man principle, the Sixth Man Club provides a family community to the basketball program.

It shows the team that there are people other than the Sac State family who care about their success and well-being, Wanless said.

Both Okamoto and Wanless said the Sixth Man Club is beneficial to the success of the men’s basketball program.

“It helps the people that support the basketball program kind of rally around the cause and contribute to helping the basketball program become better,” Wanless said. “And for the coaching staff and the student athletes it also gives them a sense of encouragement in knowing that people care.”

Stacey Adams can be reached at [email protected]