Organizers of a fledgling women’s basketball league say they’re looking for participation from players of all abilities to round out competition.
Eleven players turned out for the league’s inaugural scrimmage Sunday, but more players would allow for more substitutions, which would be more fun, said Krista Kielsmeier, who organized the league with Alisa Beske.
Refereed games start at 4:15 p.m. Sundays at Karl Ward Gym.
“The people who came Sunday are good, solid players. I’d like to encourage people of a wider range of abilities to come out,” Kielsmeier said. “Not everybody wants to play a full game, so having extra players makes the game more enjoyable and makes the league accessible to more people.”
Kielsmeier said the Haines Women’s Basketball League page on Facebook has 74 members, so she’s confident more women players are out there.
An all-state academic player at her high school in Iowa, Kielsmeier said she likes playing as an adult to sharpen her skills.
“Playing open gym (basketball), I realized how much my game was tailored to my high school team. In high school, I just stood at the three-point line and waited for someone to pass it to me. I wasn’t a versatile player,” she said.
She has played at open gym sessions, but its loose atmosphere doesn’t tend to build skills, she said. “It seems like open gym games dissolve into a game of who can make a half-court shot.”
Kielsmeier referenced a national news story in July that found more women than men give up on hoops as adults for a variety of reasons, including family obligations and fear of injuries. Women interviewed for the story said they found opportunities for play were limited to leagues that either were too competitive or too unstructured.
“For many adult women, the key to getting back to basketball is finding the right game,” the story said.
Kielsmeier said she’s hoping the league can strike that balance, plus she’s encouraged by the success of revived city league men’s games.
Alisa Beske, co-organizer of the league, played on high school teams in Minnesota and intramural squads in college. She said there’s a dynamic to team sports, a feeling of being part of something, that’s appealing. “It’s a fun winter activity and it’s a good way to get in shape or stay in shape. You don’t have to be a star or in the best of shape. We had a lot of fun just scrimmaging.”
Besides some more players, the league could use scorekeepers and referees, she said. But if others don’t come out, the women will mix up teams each week to keep games interesting.
Patricia Faverty was among 11 women who turned out to play last weekend. She grew up playing basketball in Santa Barbara, Philippines. “I have four brothers. I didn’t have a choice,” Faverty said. While living more than a decade in Yakutat, she played on a women’s team there that, for lack of more players, sometimes scrimmaged the high school girls’ team.
“I just like to play scrimmage. My main idea is just to have fun and not get hurt,” Faverty said. She also likes to play against son Kirby, a junior high player.