The League now has something for the ladies
The League, brought to you by the Josh Howard Foundation, has established itself as the premier adult basketball league in the Triad area and beyond. Players from all around the state come together each season to battle it out for supremacy. After much demand, Steve Nivens, The League commissioner, has finally put the pieces together for a much-anticipated women’s league.
Nivens has contemplated putting together a women’s league for several years. After bringing the men’s league to a place where he wanted it, he finally had the opportunity to focus more on putting the women’s league together by finding the right talent to play and a good venue to host the games.
“After I posted it a few times when I was trying it out, the feedback I was getting was kind of delayed,” said Nivens. “The girls were coming to the spring league, they were coming and inquiring about it, so I hopped on it and said, let me try it. I am getting good feedback now and we will see how it goes once we get everything situated.”
Nivens is currently accepting more players and putting the final touches on the women’s league. He has a start date of May 25 and will have all teams finalized by May 18. The games are going to be played at the Sprague Street Recreation Center.
“We will decide about the teams after the 18th and my target goal is to have at least six teams,” said Nivens. “We will play on Wednesdays and call it Women’s Wednesdays. I am just going to try and go forward with it this time.
“I guess they are enjoying watching the fellas play, so the ladies want their part. I am just trying to give them what they are asking for.”
There will be no shortage of talent when it comes to the women’s league. According to Nivens, he is looking for the best available talent in the area to participate in the league to make it as competitive as the men’s league.
“I am pretty sure with the ladies that will be playing, they will be former or current players,” he said about the league. “That’s what I am going for – ladies that can play just as good as the guys. I definitely want those ladies that can go hard.”
Nivens admits there is a little apprehension about starting the new women’s league. He says with any new venture there will be nerves, but he is excited about the opportunity.
“I am always nervous, but I am always hoping for the best,” he said. “I just want to give it a try and I hope I get a good turnout with the ladies. I know it will be difficult to get it to where I got the guys, but I definitely want a good turnout. Sixty ladies will be good for me.”
Nivens has been able to establish The League as a well-known brand around the Triad area. Nivens has plans to continue new avenues with the league to branch out even further and the women’s league is the next step in that plan.
“I am in the middle of trying to do some big things with the brand, but I know with enticing the ladies, it expands my ideas and what I am able to do with the league,” Nivens said about his brand. “The women are definitely going to take me to the next level.
Always being humble, Nivens felt he could bring The League to the heights he has it currently; however, he didn’t want to be overconfident, so he took things slowly.
“I am surprised and happy. The work that I have put in, I am glad that it is prospering out to the vision that I had,” he stated. “I definitely put in the work and I guess with the positive feedback, the guys and the sponsors around me helping me be able to advance it every year, I am just excited and wondering what I can do next with it.”
For more information about the women’s league, please visit The League’s Instagram page at theleaguenc, by email at steve@thejoshhowardfoundation.com or call the Sprague Street Rec Center.
