Six on Six Basketball

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Six on six basketball was popular in Iowa for nearly a century, but the sport would ultimately be abandoned by a federal law designed to end gender discrimination. Basketball historian Pamela Grundy says even back when James Naismith invented basketball, the rules were still in flux. A phys ed teacher at Smith College named Sendah Baronson is credited with being the mother of women's basketball. Women started playing it almost at exactly the same time men started playing it.

In the 20th century, Iowa high school girls basketball was HUGE but it was not the game we know today. In 6-on-6 basketball, the three forwards only play offense. And the three guards only play defense. No one is allowed to leave their assigned half of the court. 6-on-6 still uses the full length of a basketball court, but in a different way than 5-on-5. In 6-player, three forwards from one team and three guards from the opposing team play at one end of the court. Meanwhile their teammates wait at the half court line. This basketball variant made for high scores, quick action, and the girls who played it were local superstars.

Six-on-Six Basketball