Have you ever heard of Senda Berenson? She was a gymnastics instructor at Smith College in Massachusetts. In 1892, she started teaching her female pupils a new game: basket ball. (Back then it was two words, not one.) 

Miss Berenson didn’t invent basketball, exactly. A man named James Naismith did that, just the year before. But women’s basketball? Miss Berenson does get credit for that. Before her, almost no women played team sports. Many people considered women’s sports improper.

Like many Americans, Miss Berenson was an immigrant. She came from Lithuania. (Mr. Naismith, basketball’s inventor, also immigrated—from Canada.) A sickly young lady, she studied gymnastics to improve her health. It worked. Exercise made her strong. She wanted other young women to experience good health too. But she needed a form of exercise that women would find fun. Enter: basketball. Or—basket ball. 

In basket ball, players shot a soccer ball into a waste basket. Hoops and regulation orange balls had not been invented yet. Neither had modern basketball uniforms. Miss Berenson’s students played in long, full skirts! 

And they grew to love the game. Miss Berenson’s work did make them healthier. Basketball works the whole body. It builds endurance. It strengthens a player’s lungs, heart, limbs, and coordination while also putting the player in a good mood. After basketball, Miss Berenson’s players felt more brave and confident. 

They had also mastered a valuable skill: teamwork. Basketball is an intense game. It moves fast. Players rely on each other. Fans watch, on the edge of their seats—and usually can’t resist shouting and cheering for their team. The sport unites its players—and spectators.

Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! — Psalm 133:1