For many years, when discussing basketball, a major positive for the sport has always been that both boys and girls, men and women can play the game.

The style of game is a little different; males can be a little faster, strength and jumping ability maybe more prevalent while in the female’s game, we see more finesse, correct fundamental technique and the game can appear more pure. Shooting, dribbling, passing, defence, rebounding, team offence, team defence, offensive and defensive transition, screening, cutting etc. is the same for both male and female basketball.

Sunday night the 2017/2018 Women’s National Basketball League Grand Final series came to a close with Townsville Fire getting over the line in an amazing series against the Melbourne Boomers. Played in front of capacity crowds, all three games were tough, skillfull, intense and entertaining. Truly an outstanding representation of basketball and indeed, women’s sport.

Throughout Australia, girls have been given the opportunity to begin their basketball careers at a very early age with all grassroots development/participation programs for many, many years. Thousands of girls play domestic basketball within their Basketball Association and are given the opportunity to represent their Association at State Level competition. Elite development programs have catered for girls as they do boys since its beginning. Girls club teams represent their state at Under 14 National Club Championships and girls represent their State or Territory Program at U16, U18 and U20 National Championships. Australia’s Women’s National Teams Program is recognized world - wide. The opals have been prominent at Olympic and World Championship level since the early 90’s.

The WNBL begun in 1981 and since then has been Australia’s Women’s Basketball premier competition. It has been the launching pad for many Australian women who are now recognized internationally. Several of the players involved in this past weeks WNBL Grand Final series are products of Australia’s basketball pathway and have appeared on the world scene or will in the years ahead.

Women’s Basketball in Australia is buzzing, alive and very well, and will continue as it already has for plenty of years, being represented by outstanding talented female athletes.