Girls Basketball

History Of Girls Basketball

Evidence of girls participating in the game of basketball exists as early as the year 1892. Since the game itself was only invented one year prior, in 1891, this shows a remarkable speed at which presence of active women in the game persisted. Women’s colleges and the YMCA helped spur on the popularity of the sport, and by 1896 several colleges in the United States had established some sort of basketball program. An intercollegiate women’s basketball game took place in 1986, the same year that a similar event was held for a men’s ball team.

Male spectators were often not even allowed inside the gymnasium to watch these early sporting events. For some time, the women’s version of basketball followed a different set of rules, drawn up by athletic pioneer Clara Gregory Baer. The game for women was not known as basketball, but was called ‘Basquette’. Basquette included different rules for the six-on-six game such as the participants had to wear a skirt, the ball could only be dribbled two times by one person, and after a point was scored a jump ball took place. Some of the early rules in women’s basketball seem a bit archaic, but the Basquette version of the game was actually played in the United States until the year 1995. Places in Iowa and Oklahoma were the last to discontinue the playing of Basquette.

High School Girls Basketball

Prior to the invention of the television, which made the sport more popular through the broadcasting of college games, basketball was extremely popular as a sport in high schools for both boys and girls. The game requires very little equipment and few staff to play it. Girl’s basketball teams are active in almost every high school in the United States.

Successful Professional Players

Despite the fact that women have participated in the game of basketball for just as long as men, a professional level of play with appropriate financial backing did not develop until 1996. The WNBA is the female version of the NBA. Another league, the WBL, existed before the WNBA, but was not able to give its players the publicity or funding that the WNBA could provide.

Starting with just eight teams in 1996, the WNBA has expanded to include 13 teams as of 2006. The WNBA has not had an easy time developing support for its teams. Over time, 17 professional women’s teams have existed, but four faced too much of a financial deficit and folded. Several women have come to know great success in the WNBA. Players like Sheryl Swoopes and Lisa Leslie prospered in both NCAA and WNBA competition. They have also represented the USA in the Olympic Games.