4/2/11

Women’s basketball league dunks into action!

By Ayesha Abdeen
The first week of the new Muslim Women Sport Foundation (MWSF) Exclusively Women’s Basketball League (EWBL) tipped off on March 5 in Wembley.
The league, spread over five months, has six teams competing from across London.
The first of its kind to be held in the UK, the EWBL provides a platform for women, particularly from Muslim and other ethnic minority communities, to gain competitive experience as players, coaches, officials and spectators in an environment sensitive to their religious and cultural needs.
Organised by the MWSF, teams competing comprise the MWSF Ravens, MWSF Heat, Elite Youth, Ealing Phoenicians, Camden Panthers and London Lionesses.
The first fixtures saw Ravens beating Heat 44-8, Elite Youth defeating London Lionesses in a very closely contented match 26-24 and Camden Panthers overcoming Ealing Phoenicians 41-26.
Sena Jawad, member of the MWSF Ravens, commented, “Training and competing in a completely female environment is very important to us. This league is our opportunity to put our skills to the test and truly feel like ball players!”
For many ladies, including members of the London Lionesses - a deaf women’s basketball team and MWSF Heat - the latest addition to the MWSF set up, the EWBL is their first encounter of league competition. When asked about their experience there was a resounding thumbs up with members of Heat commenting they can’t wait to get back into training in preparation of their next fixture!
The MWSF is a registered charity providing exclusively female sporting opportunities in the UK since 2001.
On April 17, the MWSF will be hosting Summer Fusion, the largest female only basketball tournament in the UK.
For further information on how to get involved in this and other events visit www.mwsf.org.uk or call 020 8427 0873 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 020 8427 0873 end_of_the_skype_highlighting.