Her World, Her Rules basketball event draws about 30 girls

About 30 young girls aged 10-15 years old participated in the Northern Mariana Islands Basketball Federation’s edition of the Her World Her Rules basketball program last Friday and Saturday.

Seven-year-old Emma Lee was the youngest amongst the participants and hooped it up during the clinic and 3×3 festival at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium and the Agape Christian School Gymnasium under the guidance and coaching of NMIBF board member Lia Rangamar along with other coaches.

The program, one of FIBA’s most recognized initiatives in women’s basketball and a unique project aimed at promoting women’s and girls’ basketball across the globe, helps develop positive character, discover new friendships, and encourage skills development.

With that, Rangamar said this program aligns with NMIBF’s goals.

“The whole objective of this program is to get girls in an environment that’s comfortable for them to come out and play. People think that basketball is a sport typically male dominated. So, what this is, is really focused on bringing girls out regardless of skill level—they come out here, they make new friends with a lot of girls from different schools.”

On Day 1 at the Ada Gym, Rangamar said the girls participated in a lot of games, fundamental drills, got the girls acquainted, had icebreakers, then set the ground rules. On Day 2 at the ACS Gym, Rangamar said they all participated in a 3×3 festival in which they were taught the rules of it.

There were also guest presenters from Marianas High School’s Sources of Strength group and Public School System Mental Health.

Erica Zandueta, a freshman from Marianas High School who participated in the program with her sister Rhodalyn, said that “the experience was fun. We got to know each other. I knew some of them from the TSL Summer Sports Camp, and we had so much competition but we had fun for the most part.” Zandueta said her favorite part of the program was the 3×3 tournament where she was teammates with other girls she’s never played with before.

Rangamar said the turnout for both days’ events “was a really good turnout. We’re very thankful that we were able to have this event post-typhoon. We couldn’t have done it without everybody that’s here, my team and the parents that brought their kids over.”