When coaches schedule their preseason scrimmages, they usually try to find teams they're evenly matched with. The men's basketball team at Kellogg Community College, however, uses one of its scrimmages as a different type of learning experience, going head to head with inmates at the Lakeland Correctional Facility in Coldwater, Mich.

"It's very easy to take life for granted when you're young," says Kellogg Assistant Coach Melvin McKnight, who arranges the visits, which began in 2007 and continued this past November. "I want our guys to realize that anyone can make a mistake and end up in prison. After visiting, they're really positive about staying out of trouble, going to school, and getting an education.

"When you go to the prison to play sports, you're right in there with all the inmates," he continues. "It's not like a visiting room. I know I never wanted to get in trouble after seeing what the inside of a prison is really like."

The visits begin with players and coaches going through tight security. They are searched prior to entering the prison, and also undergo background checks. DeVonte Pryor, a sophomore guard, says these initial procedures clearly set the tone.

"I thought about how in a couple of hours, I'd be able to leave, but when the prisoners went through those doors, there's no way out," Pryor says.

McKnight says the student-athletes are also nervous about not knowing what to expect from a basketball point of view. "Our players aren't sure what will happen if they committ a hard foul," he says. "But the inmates are totally respectful of the game. They play physical, but not the way our team thinks they might."

After the scrimmage, the inmates speak to the players about their lives. "Those guys have so much wisdom, you would never think they could end up in a prison," Pryor says. "They talked to us about how it only takes a split second to mess up, go to jail, and throw your life away. They told us they didn't want to ever see us in there with them."

The experience also makes team members realize they don't have to be from a big city to end up in prison. One man they met is from Battle Creek, Mich., the site of Kellogg's campus, serving a life sentence for a crime he committed in the 1980s. "When you're in there with the guys you don't even realize they're inmates," McKnight says. "They're just like us, which is an important lesson in itself."

Pryor says the visit also helps the team on the court, teaching the Bruins about mental toughness. "When we were competing against them, we had to focus on winning the game, not being scared," he says. "They talk trash, but at the end of the game, they say it's just about making sure we're ready for the season.

"These guys lift weights all day, so they're stronger than the average player our age," Pryor continues. "If I feel like I can handle them, then I know nobody my age or my size can handle me."

While the Bruins improve their game and gain a different perspective on life, they are also proud to make a positive contribution to society. "That one game a year gives the inmates so much joy and happiness," says McKnight. "This year, they remembered some of our guys from last year, and they told us about how they followed our entire season on the Internet."

"They feel like if we win a national championship, they were a part of that," Pryor adds. "There's no telling how long our scrimmage might stay in an inmate's mind and make his time go by faster. I feel like I helped someone else have a better day."