CARLSBAD, Calif. — It's never too late in life to 'hoop' it up. In this Zevely Zone, laced up my sneakers in Carlsbad with a new senior women's basketball league for women 50 years of age and older.
This story combines two of my favorite things, basketball and people living their best lives until the final buzzer. If you've ever wondered if you're too old to play basketball, this group of women inside the Pine Avenue Community Center want to tell you. "No!," they all yelled together.
Take for instance, Lynne. She's 80 and wanted to try something new. She had never played basketball in her life but came to learn. "Never, so why not?" said Lynne. In high school many of these women were told they could only be cheerleaders.
"That's all I could do, that's all they offered, but yeah I sat in those bleachers," said Kathleen. After surviving open heart surgery Kathleen finally had this to say. "I'm ready to play," said Kathleen.
Many of the athletes say they weren't allowed to play sports when they were young. "The boy next door got to play little league, I was definitely better than him," said Rita.
The San Diego Senior Women's Basketball Association started in Mission Valley 25 years and is now expanding into Carlsbad. The Senior Women's Basketball Association is a nonprofit organization that gives back to the community. The group sponsors girls ages 12-17 in San Diego County with the opportunity to select and attend a basketball camp within the state of California.
"Let's have some fun what do you say?" said volunteer Karen Blair with SWBA. She is one of the coaches and she's got game. I asked her if she could dunk. "If you lower the basket a little bit," she laughed. The new Carlsbad league is sponsored by Front Porch.
The company owns Carlsbad by the Sea Retirement Community. Front Porch is hoping to create more basketball leagues for seniors.
"Across the state and frankly around the country," said Sean Kelly who played basketball in college and is Front Porch's CEO. "We never stop wanting to have fun and to see people from all different walks of life, all different ages in a gym. They are smiling, having fun, moving around. It's an inspiration," said Sean.
One of the players here who lives at Carlsbad by the Sea is Mary K. I asked her what she would be doing if she wasn't playing basketball.
"Reading a book," said Mary.
Instead, they're all starting a new chapter in life in another way.
"You remember the Harlem Globetrotters so I am mimicking one of their moves I can do," said Jan.
After some drills, we found Jan was doing her best Curly Neal. If you're still wondering if basketball is for you, here are some of the comments we received from the players aged 50-83.
"I'm having a great time," said one senior. "It was great. I am awesome. Just call me Steph," said another hoopster. I then asked Mary K. if basketball is more entertaining than reading a book.
"Oh my gosh yes," laughed Mary K. In other words, a total slam dunk.
"Jeff, this is a dream come true," said Karen as we picked her up so she could dunk the basketball on a ten-foot rim. "Yeah!" yelled everyone in the gym.
The Carlsbad league will play 3-on-3 half-court basketball. Uniforms are ordered and on the way. For more information, visit the San Diego Senior Women's Basketball Association website by clicking here.