Visalia's Granny Basketball League Team Holds First Meeting

The Granny Basketball League exhibition game in Visalia led to a May 16th meeting to start a league team in Visalia.

The April 10th game, which featured members of two league teams, the California Poppies and the Oakdale Broncos, was arranged by Barb Trammell, founder of the 800-player league with teams representing 57 cities in 11 states and one Canadian province.

A few local women watching the game found themselves on the court, playing their first basketball game under 1920s-style women's rules.

Granny basketball is different than the basketball that most people are used to.

"You have to stay in your third of the court," Trammell explained. "There's no running and jumping and no physical contact, and you can only dribble twice."

An organizational meeting will be held later this summer to plan a practice schedule and choose a team name. Suggestions so far have included the Visalia Vipers and the Visalia Vixens.

Trammell stresses that noprevious basketball experience is necessary to play.

For more information about the Visalia team (or starting a team in another South Valley city), call (209) 770-8146.

To learn more about the Granny Basketball League, visit http://www.grannybasketball. com.