Local basketball academy invites women to join

With the formation of a women’s team, Edenvale Lions Basketball Academy is hoping to promote women in basketball and develop the sport further.

Co-founder Edson Makavan explained that when ELBA was first established, the academy only started with boys.

“There was some interest from the community to have girls join ELBA but we never had anyone, specifically a woman, to lead them.”

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“We believed that we needed a woman to lead other women,” said Makavan.

Three months ago, the academy established a women’s team and it is led by Haylee Douglas.

Douglas, who had wanted to get involved in coaching, said she reached out to the academy through Instagram and asked if they needed a women’s coach.

“The academy said yes and things took off from there,” she said.

With six players, who consistently train weekly, the academy is looking for more women to join its ranks and grow the sport.

Douglas said so far, the players have been doing well.

“When the girls first joined the academy none of them knew how to play basketball. They picked it up really fast and it has been going well.”

Growing up playing basketball Douglas said she had hoped to one day become a coach.

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“I’ve had several coaches in my life who have been a great influence and I want to be that in the lives of my team members.”

Discussing her goals, Douglas said she hopes to establish a full team in addition to exposing more women to the sport.

She said her interest in basketball developed while at Dalat International School. Instead of netball, the school offered basketball.

Douglas said after trying the sport she loved it and her passion continued to grow.

To join the women’s team, contact Douglas on 068 757 9760 or Makavan on 060 414 3320 or Byron on 082 969 4172.