Women’s Basketball Game at Smith College
Cheer on the Smith Pioneers at a home game and step into a living classroom of sports, history, and culture. Smith College holds a special place in basketball’s story. Senda Berenson, a Smith physical education instructor, adapted James Naismith’s new game for women in 1893, only two years after it was invented. Watching today’s players on the court links back to those first games, offering a chance to reflect on equity in athletics, teamwork, and how a pastime became a path to learning and empowerment.
Self-Directed Learning
The history of women’s basketball began at Smith College in 1892, when instructor Senda Berenson adapted James Naismith’s new sport for her students. This video traces that journey, from those first games with nine players and restrictive uniforms to women’s basketball becoming an Olympic sport in 1976 and the WNBA’s launch in 1996. Along the way, it highlights how the game reflected changing ideas about health, gender, and equity, and how athletes persevered despite social barriers. Paired with the Smith College game, self-directed learners can reflect on basketball not only as a sport but also as a cultural force shaping opportunities for women. At home, they might compare early rules to today’s, research pioneers like Berenson, or discuss how athletics influence social change.
