A Mixed Gender Basketball League Is Starting

[pwaldo]

http://www.my9nj.com/story/25181667/...e-garden-state

Most sports are divided by an individual's gender. For example, in basketball, we have the NBA and the WNBA, which divides the league so that men and women are separated and only compete against their own sex.

In certain cases, Americans will hear about a woman joining a male’s sports team, which usually grabs headlines. The divide is usually based on the notion that women and men have different physical capabilities. However, one group in New Jersey is breaking down these walls by creating a professional basketball league that is intermixed with both male and female players.

The league is called the MGBA, which stands for the Mixed Gender Basketball Association. Headed by James Scott and Tamia Colon, the league presents itself as an unbiased alternative for players who wish to compete against other genders in a robust game that keeps physical capabilities in check by the games rules and regulations. Created by Dr. John Howard, the current president of the MGBA, the game pits players against each other by separating the amount of men and women on the court per period.

James Scott spoke about these simple guidelines and why he believes the MGBA is a great alternative to all pre-conceived notions about basketball.

“They should have been playing a long time ago. The game starts like this. First quarter there is three men and two women, second quarter there is three women and two men, and it goes back and forth. It’s an awesome concept," Scott explained.

The league says it had a successful trial run on February 18th at Essex County Community College.

"The game was an awesome game. We were at 80% capacity full and people were cheering for players they didn't even know," Scott said.

"I am one of the sponsors for the MGBA, and I wasn’t interested at all, but when I went to the game and I actually saw what I saw, it was absolutely amazing. I mean people were excited and were screaming and yelling," potential owner and current sponsor Tamia Colon said.

The final score of the game was 95 to 93, which many consider to be a great professional basketball score.

MGBA usesthe motto, "Equal Pay for Equal Play" which solidifies the entire premise of what the league is trying to accomplish.

[mrveggieman]

This is an interesting idea. I hope it takes off.