Know your options.
Choose your path.
The most important thing to do is determine how you would like to be involved in this wonderful sport. Start by taking the time to answer some basic questions:
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Do you want to play for fun and maintain an active life?
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Are your friends playing, so you want to play too?
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Are you a competitive person?
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Are you beginning to develop your skill in the sport and wish to focus on training and development?
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Have you been identified as having the potential to excel in the sport?
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What can you or your parents afford to do?
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What is available in the area that you live in or do you have to travel long distances?
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How much time do you have to devote to the sport?
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What other activities and/or sports are you involved with?
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Where is the best coaching and training?
Once you have done this, you will likely have a clear idea of which pathway you would like to pursue.
As a relatively new sport, the landscape of girls' basketball constantly changing. There is no “one size fits all” approach to meeting your goals. Sometimes, it follows the pathways of the boys side of the sport, but it easily diverges. This has to do with coaching resources, program availability, access to gyms, general interest, etc. As you navigate your way through girls' basketball, regardless of your pathway, different opportunities will present themselves, sometimes new ones that didn't even exist when you started your journey, and there might be some tough decisions to make. It is easy to adjust, as many of the pathways can overlap. It's a good idea to take stock every one in a while, to make sure you are still where you want to be. There are options in girls' basketball for absolutely everybody!