Basketball clinic puts power behind the phrase ‘Play Like A Girl’

INDIANAPOLIS — A basketball clinic made a stop in Indy to change the game for young women and give meaning to the phrase “play like a girl.”

“I think it’s a compliment,” said 9-year-old Nyla Malone Jones.

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“When we say, ‘You play like a girl,’ that means you play like Caitlin Clark, you play like Angel Reese, you play like Aja Wilson,” WNBA legend Rushia Brown added. “All of these women are amazing on the court.”

Brown led the charge during the “Play Like a Girl” clinic hosted by the National Police Athletic League (PAL), Indy PAL and IMPD.

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The free clinic held on Saturday at the JTV Hill Center aimed to build self-confidence in girls aged 7 to 18 through sports and mentorship.

“It’s just really important that the young ladies and their parents understand how important it is for them to be active and do something that helps them physically, emotionally and mentally,” Brown said.

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During the clinic, the girls were shown how to develop new basketball skills on the basketball court, as well as provided positive role models.

“I think it’s just an opportunity for me to become a better player,” said eighth-grader Kylah Loyal.

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“It’s important to see someone you can look up to and say, ‘Hey, this is what I want to do,’” adds IMPD Police Officer Oumu Bah.

Kylah’s mother hopes this kind of inspiration will motivate her daughter and the other girls to dream big not only in basketball, but beyond.

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“I think it’s cool that she sees women in powerful positions. Women who are doing a lot of different things that maybe all have something in common,” Andie Loyal added.

More than two dozen girls came to the clinic, where they were able to participate in a discussion about self-confidence, make new friends and interact with female IMPD officers.