Basketball: Getting girls court time comes with unique spin
Thousands of young New Zealanders will play basketball for the first time this summer as Basketball New Zealand tries to breakdown the barriers that keep females off the court.
Basketball is the fastest growing sport at youth level in New Zealand and women's basketball is one of the fastest growing sports in the world.
A nationwide Summer of Basketball programme promoting the 3x3 version of the game aimed to boost the numbers even further.
The events will not look like a traditional basketball training with organisers opting for outdoor festivals, glow-in-the-dark games, park tours and indoor games played in dress up.
Basketball New Zealand's participation lead Meaghan Wilby said as much as possible they were "trying to bring basketball to the girls where they already are".
"It's about trying to reach those girls who maybe used to play basketball and have stopped or who haven't played it's not excluding the girls who have been playing all season already but we also know that they need to have a bit of a break and rest for their bodies so they can come back next season so it's really about fun social opportunities to play basketball."
Wilby said the timing of the programme was on purpose and would be tailored to what local girls wanted.
