1982, “Desperately Low Women Basketball”.
On January 1982, in the magazine “TEAM-SPORTSMAN”, the journalist D. Kalambakas, writes on page 65, a research on women’s basketball.
The headline: “Women’s basketball desperately low.”
The Subtitle: “However, ANO Glyfada is making great efforts to raise the level of its team.”
So let’s look at the text of this article.
For a few years now, Glyfada has started and is the new force of women’s Greek basketball. Thanks to the tireless efforts of its managers, the team has reached an enviable level by Greek standards.
The training of the team has been undertaken by Nikos Tsoskounoglou, a young man with several parchments and many successes under his belt. He himself emphasizes to us:
“This year it was late to start the preparation of the team. A big loss for Glyfada is Zervoudaki, who has had problems with her back since the beginning of the season. The Glyfada players have very good technical training and impeccable character at the same time. Their youth and enthusiasm give me courage for something better. We have the resources to star in this year’s championship and finish in the top three. For next year there is a big planning. We will add to our strength two experienced players (whom the club has already found) making our team very strong.
How do you see women’s basketball in Greece in general?
“It is at a hopelessly low level. We are far behind not only in Europe but also in the Balkans. The federation should also be interested in the creation of a National Team, which should be based on the right foundations.
Another thing that inhibits the much-desired progress of women’s basketball is the lack of proper visibility from the Mass Media, which should show more interest.”
The prevailing motto in Glyfada is “We do sports and not championships”. Indeed the team managers are interested in the infrastructure. A remarkable nursery of players has been created which continuously feeds into the first team.
The main task of the nursery coach has been undertaken by Mr. Sokratis Doukas who tells us:
“We accept girls of all ages who wish to play basketball. For such a kernel to work properly, programming is required. We are interested in the children doing their work correctly and applying what we tell them. As many girls as have the potential to go forward, we support them with all our strength and promote them to the first team.
School obligations create problems for female players. The sooner there is a solution to this issue the better the results will be. Many talents are being lost due to the adverse conditions prevailing. It is deemed necessary to establish an institution of holding tournaments between different nurseries.”
Since the creation of the women’s team of Glyfada (1972), Mrs. Areti Niarchou has been performing the duties of the registrar with absolute success:
“We take care of the girls in our team and are in constant communication with them as well as their parents. The background of our team guarantees us a better future.
Women’s league matches should be played in the afternoon because it is more convenient. Besides, at this time we will gather a larger number of fans.
Holding the league games in closed courts is a positive step in the effort to raise the level of women’s basketball. All clubs must work responsibly and properly in order to have the appropriate infrastructure.
The living material of Glyfada is made up of the following players:
Petra Filia 23 years old 1.75
Maria Monica 19 years old 1.75
Chalkidou Dimitra 21 years old 1.76
Kafourou Anna 16 years old 1.78
Antonopoulou Alexandra 22 years old 1.75
Stamatina 15 years 1.65
Mercati Victoria 16 years old 1.65
Papadopoulos Vasiliki 17 years old 1.63
Liuga Sunday 15 years 1.67
Carbon Adamantia 16 years 1.82
Georgakopoulou Sophia 16 years old 1.74
Kassopoulou Thomais 15 years old 1.60
Lygerou Elpida 19 years old 1.72
Zerboudaki Kelly 19 years old 1.75
Agorastopoulou Angeliki 23 years old 1.70
Karavournali Melpo 25 years 1.70
But let’s see what three key players from the greatest hopes of women’s basketball in Glyfada have to tell us:
Madia Monica: “I have been competing in Glyfada for six years. This year the team was renewed with several new girls who, although inexperienced, have great zeal. Women’s basketball is systematically ignored in Greece.”
Anna Kafourou: “I have been playing basketball for three years. School creates a lot of problems for me, fortunately my parents support me decisively. I want to enter the Gymnastics Academy.”
Chalkidou Dimitra: “So far our team is doing very well. I believe that the state will finally show the required interest and conditions will become more favorable.”
Unfortunately, Greek women’s basketball is still in its infancy
