The New Zealand Women’s Basketball Championship is back. Here’s why it’s important

Kia Ora,

My name is Linden and I’m a graduating college senior from the University of Oregon in the United States with a passion for women’s basketball. As a strong believer in female sports, I’ve gravitated to various basketball leagues around the world and the work that they have put in to increasing female participation in the sport.

While I’m interested in basketball worldwide, my primary focus is in New Zealand. I’ll be writing and featuring things related to New Zealand women’s basketball, specifically the Women’s Basketball Championship (WBC), along with the country’s national team, the Tall Ferns. I’m extremely excited to share my passion for this sport as put on by this amazing set of female athletes. In essence, I’m here to share the fact that women’s basketball in New Zealand is important; not just for young athletes but for the sport globally. My goal through this content is that people in America, as well as other parts of the world, will gain appreciation for the amazing talent that these athletes exhibit year-round.

I’ll be posting notes on teams, games and anything else relevant to give audiences a glimpse into the world that is a fast-growing sport. If all goes well, I’ll be posting every couple days at least, if not more.

So how did I, a college student, land on this side the sporting world in the first place?

First and foremost, I credit Harbour Breeze and Tall Ferns member Penina Davidson for introducing me to basketball south of the equator. As someone with a close connection to UC Berkeley, I followed Davidson while she was at Cal and was not only impressed by her dominant play as a post in the PAC-12 Conference, but also her core values. What I was most inspired by was Davidson’s integrity and passion that she exemplifies in everything she does, from grabbing rebounds to engaging young fans at community events. I continued to follow her after she signed with the Adelaide Lightening of the Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL), and now with the Harbour Breeze. At the end of the day Davidson served as a role model while at California, and more importantly, continues to do so in her hometown of Auckland and beyond.

Once I began following the Tall Ferns and WBC regularly, I quickly noticed the unique atmosphere that the Māori culture encompasses on and off the court.

This transitions nicely to the family-style camaraderie that spans throughout the WBC and Tall Ferns. Each WBC team seems to have a close-knit connection that represents family values, on and off the court. In the age of competitive basketball where player egos can be larger than the size of the game itself, the kiwi approach of remaining true to familial values and sharing their successes with others, stands out among other countries. As a country with a rapidly increasing participation rate, this sets an example for younger players.

When I say these teams are like a family, there is literal meaning in some cases. Take for example Tall Fern Kalani Purcell, who plays alongside sisters Natalie (Purcell) Taylor and Idaho (Purcell) Stowers. These three women who are part of a seven-person family unit and a lineage of basketball players, all play for the Auckland Dream. Regardless of direct bloodlines, each team has a strong bond, all while still maintaining an elite level of play.

Off the court, many of these women are engaged in youth camps and other activities that get young girls involved in the sport early. Take for example the new Girls Got Game program that Basketball New Zealand launched on May 9. The program focuses on players being active, having fun and participating alongside their friends through a non-competitive environment, all ran by female coaches. Members of the WBC such as Kalani Purcell and Jordan Hunter (Auckland Dream), Penina Davidsion (Harbour Breeze), and Nicole Ruske (Otago), have become ambassadors for the program, furthering their connection with the community.

After all, the statistics of young girls playing basketball in New Zealand are increasing each year. According to New Zealand Chief Executive Iain Potter, “The School Sport New Zealand Census certainly makes it clear: in 2018 there were 26,481 secondary school students playing basketball. Of those, 7983 were girls.” This program hopes to change some of those numbers.

In terms of those on the elite level track, stats have that there are currently about 50 players that have made the jump to play college basketball in the United States.

However, it isn’t just about their style of play, or even engagement that makes these athletes fun to watch. What makes these athletes even more important is that each possesses talents outside of basketball that enhance their personal brands. Artists, personal trainers, you name it- at least one of them probably has experience in another area. Back to my original point, each one of them has a strong personal brand that could offer something of value to companies worldwide.

However, they’re not always represented to the highest degree, thus keeping their exposure low.

As hopefully you can see by now, New Zealand has a lot to offer. I hope that this space can help facilitate a dialogue for us to enjoy and appreciate what these athletes put into their game and personal brands, in hopes of them gaining enough recognition to be championed at a higher level.

Even better news: the WBC season is back! You can get your first glimpse of the 2019 WBC season by following the second day of the opening tournament with the attached schedule.

Fancy a chat about this? I’d love to hear from you!

Feel free to contact me at lindenmoore22@gmail.com

Also, if you’d like to learn more about me, this link dives deeper into my hopeful future work with the WBC and Basketball NZ.