Author & Award-Winning Screenwriter
WHY SHE PLAYS: THE WORLD OF WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Journey to the Heart of the Game
What draws women to basketball—and what keeps them fighting for their place in the game?
From neighborhood courts and high school gyms to college arenas and the professional ranks, Why She Plays goes beyond scores and statistics to explore what drives women to devote themselves to basketball—and what the game gives them in return.
Published by the University of Nebraska Press, with a foreword by basketball legend Becky Hammon.
About the Book
Why She Plays begins with a simple question: What draws women to basketball—and what keeps them coming back?
Through reporting, interviews, and personal experience, Christine A. Baker explores the game from youth leagues and high school teams to college programs and the professional ranks. Along the way, she examines the impact of Title IX, the growth of the WNBA, the culture surrounding women’s sports, and the opportunities still left to create.
At its heart, Why She Plays is a portrait of the athletes, coaches, families, and fans whose devotion helped transform women’s basketball—and a celebration of the game they love.
Where to Buy
PRAISE FOR WHY SHE PLAYS
Recognized by voices across women’s basketball, sports media, and academia
Christine Baker combines two rare traits: a true passion for the game of basketball, tattooed into her soul at an early age; and the ability to describe that passion with the gritty feel of the ball on a sweaty palm and the confident assurance of a born writer.
Clay Kallam
Women's Basketball Magazine
Why She Plays is a modern women’s basketball bible with an exclusive pass into the world of the elite female athlete. Baker covers more floor in the basketball world than Candace Parker covers on game day.
If you’re a fan of women’s athletics, a current or former basketball player, or a parent of a child navigating the world of youth sports, pick up Why She Plays.
Keri Mikulski
PrettyTough.com
From Title IX, to the birth of the WNBA, to Sports Marketing, to comparisons of USA Basketball versus basketball in other countries, Christine A. Baker does a great job of combining her love for the game of basketball and her journalistic abilities to provide the reader with a well-rounded visual rendering of women's basketball.
Stephanie Bennett, Ph.D.Women in Sport & Physical Activity Journal
I recommend this book for those interested in reading about women’s basketball from the perspective of someone whose passion stems from her own experiences as a player, a coach, and a journalist.
Her writing also serves as a reminder of the immense potential for growth in this sport, and the responsibility we have as players, coaches, and fans to move forward with delicate balance.
Kendra Hunter
Journal of Sport History
Olympic gold medalist and WNBA legend Tamika Catchings with Why She Plays
Robin Roberts with an autographed copy of
Why She Plays