HEARTSPRESS
2023 WABA REGIONAL TEAMS
May 12, 2023
The WABA releases the 2023 Region Teams. On July 1st, 18 teams will kickoff Season 7 for the league.
South Region: Atlanta Angels, Raleigh Red Storm, Gastonia Greyhounds, Charlotte Swarm and Greensboro Kaos.
Midwest Region: Midwest Soundm Rockford Lightning, Cincinatti Reign and West Michigan Elite Stars
North Upper Region:
Mount Vernon Shamrocks, LA Maples, Syracuse Nationals and New England Trailblazers
North Lower Region: Steel City Queens, Maryland Sparks, Virginia Hearts, Richmond Roadrunners and DC Cyclones
For information on the WABA, follow the league on Instagram @womensaba and via the website www.womensaba.com
WABA TIPS OFF 2022 SEASON
June 29, 2022
The Women’s American Basketball Association will tip off its 2022 Season 6 on July 1, as the U.S. celebrates the 50th anniversary of the enactment of Title IX. The WABA 2022 league includes 20 teams across 18 states with 300 women seeking to advance their dreams to play with teams that financially support their talents at the highest levels currently available. By the end of the 2021 Season, 39 WABA players were pulled to overseas opportunities, where the League’s wide ranging reach within global recruitment continues to grow.
The WABA showcases its players every weekend in cities within four regions across the country:
North Lower – DC Cyclones (Washington DC); Steel City Queens (Pittsburgh PA); Richmond (VA) Roadrunners; Virginia Hearts (Ashburn VA); Greensboro (NC) Kaos
North Upper – LA Maples (Lewiston ME); New England Trailblazers (Medfield MA); Mount Vernon (NY) Shamrocks; Lady Ocean 11 (Brooklyn NY); Jersey Expressions (Newark NJ)
South – Atlanta (GA) Angels; Montgomery (AL) Lady Magic; Gastonia (NC) Greyhounds; Crescent City Voodoux (New Orleans LA); Jacksonville (FL) Force; Tampa Bay (FL) Badgers
Midwest – Sound (St. Louis MO); West Michigan Elite Stars (Grand Rapids MI); Cincinnati (OH) Reign; Gary Sun-Rays of Indiana (Gary IN).
Each WABA team consists of up to 15 players, and play four home and four away games. Match-ups occur on Fridays, Saturdays or Sundays from July 1 through September 30, when the finals, championship and all-star games will take place. Three NCAA Division 1 officials referee each game. The players comprise women seeking to advance their professional basketball opportunities, as they work full time or return from playing overseas. The League provides exposure to scouts seeking recruits for the growing number of women’s basketball teams around the globe. The current WABA Champions are the Jacksonville Force.
The Women’s American Basketball Association was founded in 2017 with 7 teams by Marsha Blount, President & CEO, and is headquartered in Denville, NJ near its brother organization the ABA. “The growth of the WABA from 2017 is an amazing testament to the number of professional women basketball players seeking to advance. We celebrate each of our 2022 players as well as all our alumna around the world. The WABA teams, players, owners and coaches individually and collectively continue to draw greater demand and attention,” says Blount. She adds “We formed the WABA with the mantra ‘It’s Our Time!’ and with 50 years of Title IX, I believe that thought is being actualized each year.”
WABA games are live streamed over YouTube channels via the WABA website www.womensaba.com, and through each individual team’s website. By the end of 2021, the League, its teams, owners, players and fans drew over a half a million followers across myriad social media platforms Each player’s and team statistics are available on the respective websites as well.
The League is known for its unique rules that foster a faster paced game, leading to more exciting moments and higher scoring:
Guard driven league results in 40 minutes of fast paced action
Half-court violation occurs after 7 seconds; if a team is not successful in getting over the half-court line within 7 seconds it results in a turnover which initiates the 3D light
When the 3D Light is on: 2 pt. shots = 3 pts. | 3 pt. shots = 4 pts. | a half-court shot = 5 pts.
Six fouls leads to a technical foul and the ball | a player cannot foul out of the game
Overtime 3/10 & Out
Each WABA team is community focused to encourage young girls to pursue their basketball ambitions as they demonstrate how women are lifelines in their locales.
The teams collaborate on activities year round to support immediate needs as well as the future growth of their city’s residents and fans. Venues for the weekend games are generally schools, community centers and other recreation or fitness facilities in their individual markets. The teams seek out local partnerships and sponsors as the league pursues the same nationally.
As professional women sports teams grow across the globe, investment in the growth of women with the WABA and its partners is paramount. The collaboration of these 2022 Season WABA teams demonstrates an amazing depth of skill and achievement and promises ongoing excitement!
For further information and/ or to connect with WABA Executives or individual WABA teams, contact Judith Burrell, Director of WABA Business Development, at jburrell.bpc@gmail.com or 202-299-7576.
SEMI-PROFESSIONAL WOMEN’S BASKETBALL COMES TO NOVA
February 22, 2022
Ashburn, VA - Virginia Hearts, a semi-professional expansion basketball team affiliated with the Women’s American Basketball Association (WABA), is excited to announce their Inaugural Season beginning in the summer of 2022. Based in Ashburn, the newly formed Virginia HEARTS will hold tryouts in Northern Virginia and invites any interested athletes to join them beginning on Tuesday, March 29th, 2022.
“As a WABA Expansion team, we are proud to be part of an organization that truly values and appreciates women’s basketball and pours so much into their teams and talent,” said President & Owner Dametra Lewis. “The Lady Hearts will provide our amazing athletes with a chance to hone their skills and propel them to the next phase of their basketball journey.”
A 20-year Northern Virginia resident, Ms. Lewis joins forces with an organization that has sent players on to professional careers overseas in Spain, France, United Kingdom/England, Ireland, Turkey, Belgium, Portugal, Finland, Serbia, Israel, Romania, Slovenia, Kosovo, Sweden, Hungary, Germany, Poland, Egypt, Lithuania, and Armenia during the 2021 season.
Marsha Blount, WABA CEO stated “I am extremely excited to welcome Ms. Dametra Lewis, Owner of the Virginia Hearts to the Women’s American Basketball Association (WABA). The Ashburn/Loudoun County team will be a great addition to the Northeast Region of teams, spanning from the Carolina’s thru the DMV, and New York. Ms. Lewis has already made an impact with her interest in hosting our National Championship Weekend! We look forward to the Virginia Hearts continuing to provide opportunities within the community in which they play. I hope the community will be of tremendous support in their efforts’
We are committed to building a program based on the core values of Respect, Integrity, Duty, Kindness & Servant Leadership, the Lady Hearts endeavor to work hard, play hard and serve hard. As the team grows, there are already plans in the works to host semi-annual girls’ basketball skills camps, various leadership development events, and launch a mentorship program to help guide the next generation of athletes.
Tryouts for the Lady Hearts will be held on Tuesday, March 29th, Saturday, April 2nd, and Tuesday, April 5th, 2022, Tryouts will begin at various times so interested athletes register @ www.virginiaheartsbasketball.com
Sponsorship opportunities are also available and additional information can be found at www.virginiaheartsbasketball.com.