LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — As the Las Vegas Aces hunt for another WNBA title, their success is setting an example for the next generation of female basketball players right here in the Las Vegas valley.
At Girls Youth Basketball, you can see the Aces' impact firsthand. The nonprofit organization provides local girls ages 8 to 14 with the chance to play in a league of their own.
"There's not a lot that we know of that's for girls only," said Joyce Misa, director of operations at Girls Youth Basketball.
Misa said basketball not only helps these girls stay active and improve their athletic abilities, but it also helps them build confidence.
"I played since I was younger, and it's really helped me grow. Sports, in general, help you become part of that team, become a leader, and become role-players. It helps strengthen your confidence. I think that a lot of times right now in our society, confidence for the girls is really big," Misa said.
The Aces are a shining example of confidence on and off the court as they help grow the sport of women's basketball. Misa said a lot of her youth players really look up to them and dream of one day being in their shoes.
"I do believe a lot of them do dream about going pro," Misa said.
She also believes the Aces' arrival and success have certainly played a role in the organization's growth. She said they started out in 2015 with just about 40 players. Right before the pandemic, they ballooned to about 500 enrollees.
This year is their first season back since COVID-19, and she says they're seeing a strong rebound.
"We got a response that was just amazing; we sold out pretty fast in our 5th and 6th-grade division," she said. "Now that the Aces are here, I just feel like it's going to get bigger and bigger."
The teams in the organization's league are named after WNBA franchises. The Aces jersey is the one all the girls want to wear, Misa said.
"They're pretty legit. When they put it on, we have two teams who are the Aces, and when they put it on, everyone's jealous," Misa said.
She said a lot of the girls can see themselves in the Aces.
"They see what people like Kelsey Plum, who's not the tallest, so a lot of us can relate to her, but the stuff she does on the court. Or when you see a big, such as A'ja Wilson, just shooting her jumpers from mid-range, I think a lot of girls look up to them and say, 'Hey, one day I want to be them,'" she said.
The girls even got to see some of their role models up close last year when they were invited to walk in the Aces championship parade.
"We got to see Coach Hammon all of a sudden sneak up, and she was throwing some beads at us. They were really interactive with the girls," said Joyce Misa, whose daughter is playing for Girls Youth Basketball for the first time this season.
"I do look up to the Aces because they're really good on the court. But off the court too, they're just really energetic and funny and stuff, and my favorite player is Alysha Clark because she's fierce a great shooter, and a great defender," said youth player Mya Misa.
Players like Misa are hoping for another parade here soon.
"I hope the Aces win, but if they don't, then they should just stay happy because they had a really good season with really good players," Misa said.
Win or lose, these girls are behind the Aces because they know the Aces are behind them.
If your child might be interested in Girls Youth Basketball, click here to learn more. Organizers say they welcome kids both with experience and without.
