A female basketball league, the first of its kind in the Federal Capital City has commenced with nine teams.
Floated by the Adamark Foundation for girls, an NGO, the league runs as from April 20 to July 6, 3pm on Saturdays and 4pm on Sundays, with an All Star game planned to culminate the championship in the first week of July.
Founder of the Adamark Foundation, Mrs Ada Mark Ogbole says the No Barriers Female Basketball League, which is being decided at the Mapache High School Uncommon Ground, Apo Resettlement Scheme, Abuja was to give girls opportunity to play and develop their skills since they get little or no time to train and play compared to boys in spite of their skills and zeal.
“To birth the idea we came together and decided to float a basketball league in Abuja. We know that we have the Zenith League which does not give girls enough playing time considering that we have too many girls who have the zeal and passion to play basketball. So, we wanted to create enough playing time for the girls since boys have more playing time and playgrounds to play basketball. As a foundation, our focus are girls and since we have been running basketball clinics for girls for five years now we thought we we should create another opportunity that will add value for the girls to play.
We are hoping that scouts will come and watch them play so as to draft them into the mainstream league or national teams. We believe with the quality we are seeing, some of the girls will get the opportunity to travel and play abroad. Our priority is to keep them occupied and active. With the All Star coming up in July, we expect them to play other teams and gain more exposure that will warrant the NBBF to pick them for the national teams. “
She said girls interested in basketball can form teams and participate.
“For now it is open for any group of girls who can form a team to play but going forward we will make it a little more stringent. At the moment we have teams like the Customs, Titans, Gilali, Air Warriors, Apo Settlers and others. We hope to keep improving.”
According to her, the foundation is not in any collaboration with any of the basketball leadership groups yet as the league is purely driven by her foundation with the involvement of the FCT Basketball Association.
“The league is purely a private initiative driven by the foundation without any collaboration with the NBBF. The good thing is that the FCT basketball association is aware and involved.
