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By Linda Cord, SWBA Player, NSWBA Chief Operations Officer
July 24, 2009 (San Diego)--Have you ever heard of a basketball team with women players over 50 years old? How about over age 80? San Diego’s legendary “Splash” team has nine members—all over 80. These spry octogenarians will be going for their unprecedented record fifth gold medal at the National Senior Games next week at Stanford University. Mind you, these ladies are no weaklings. They are serious players who will compete in up to three games per day at Nationals.
When not on the road, they put on their shoes and bandage up their fingers to play for the Senior Women’s Basketball Association (SWBA league) here in San Diego at the Mission Valley YMCA. They play every Sunday afternoon and practice two to four times a week. The league includes many players from East County including Santee, El Cajon, Lemon Grove, La Mesa, Jamul, Alpine, Spring Valley and Lakeside.
This league is for women over 50 years of age and boasts to be the largest and most successful league in the nation, winning more medals than the runner-up Louisiana Silver Slammers. The SWBA began with humble roots 15 years ago, founded by several women responding to an ad in the San Diego Union Tribune. They lit a spark that ignited desire in hundreds of women across San Diego to play a team sport--and to be the athletes they once dreamed of in childhood. Many of these women had no opportunities to play in high school or college. Now, with several age brackets, there is not only one team to play for but 20.
Today, the emerging 50-year-olds are part of the baby boomer generation that fed off of the women’s rights movement of the ‘70s and the running and fitness craze of the ‘80s. They are expecting to play in leagues because many of them have played in high school or college. However, San Diego is currently the only senior league in California.
At the Alley Cat Summer Fest in El Cajon, the group hosted a booth in hopes of finding women interested in forming a league in East County. The National Seniors Women’s Basketball Association (NSWBA) offers resources for members and people interesting in creating a new league, including operational manuals, videos, basketball workshops and training camps.
San Diego Senior Women’s Basketball Commissioner, Kirsten Cummings has created the non-profit NSWBA with the sole intention of creating leagues, camps and workshops for women over the age of 40 throughout California. A former San Diego basketball standout, Cummings was a two-time CIF Player of the Year at Patrick Henry High and Kodak 1st Team All-American from Long Beach who later played professionally for 14 years. Cummings recognizes the need for basketball leagues throughout California, including San Diego’s East County.
“The Splash players have inspired me to continue playing the sport I love,” said Cummings. ”I have come to realize that once an athlete, you’re always an athlete. I would love to still be active and playing like them!”
The public is invited to share the women’s passion by watching the SWBA in action at the Mission Valley YMCA on Sunday afternoons. Check out the website at www.swba.org. If you would like to have a league, camps or workshops in your area, please contact us at: info@nswba.com.
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