Womens Basketball

The NCAA Basketball Tournament is one of the most watched and awaited sports fixture in the US. It whips up a frenzy that is incredible. Almost the whole nation turns to basketball when the NCAA tournament starts.

The tourney is conducted by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), which lays down the rules for the 1,200-odd participating colleges and university members. Out of the 1,200 colleges and universities, 1,006 are active members and can participate in the NCAA tournament.

These colleges are organized into three divisions. Division I includes those colleges that sponsor at least seven sports each for men and women, or six for men and eight for women, with two team sports for each gender. Division II colleges are those that sponsor at least four sports each for men and women, with two team sports for each gender. Division III, which makes the bottom of the ladder, sponsors at least five sports each for men and women, with two team sports for each gender. The NCAA also lays down how many basketball matches each member is required to play in its Division.

The Division 1 tournament grabs the maximum public attention because the winners of this tournament qualify for what is known as March Madness. NCAA has laid elaborate rules for the selection of 64 women's teams and 65 men's teams that qualify for this grand event.

Thirty-one teams, both in men and women's division, get an automatic entry, because they are the winners of their respective conferences. A selection committee decides the remaining teams, 34 for men and 33 for women. The whole nation waits with bated breath to learn of the names of these teams that are announced on television.

The field of 64 teams is divided into four geographical regions, and seeded according to their performance in the elimination tournament. The team that is seeded one is the best is its group, while the team that is seeded 16 is considered the weakest in that group. Generally, the teams perform according to their seeding. But sometimes, a low-seeded team may create an upset. Such a team then gets to be known as the tourney Cinderella.

The tourney itself is played over a period of three weeks, beginning usually on the third Thursday of March. The first two days have packed schedules, and as many as 32 teams make an exit. The excitement continues over the next two days when the teams are reduced to Sweet 16. A four-day break ensues for the next round that leaves the top four or the Final Four to battle for the crown.

The winners of this grueling tourney are crowned college basketball champions, and become the toast of the nation.

Most quality basketball team uniforms come in adult, women, girls and youth sizes and are made in the USA. Most quality basketball jerseys and matching basketball shorts are available in mens womens and youth sizes and a large selection of colors. You may also need basketball tear away pants in a variety of adult sizes and colors. Preferably you want the merchandise priced individually at excellent discount prices and have discounted the quality basketball uniforms even further when purchased in team quantities. The above should and may be your goal and you should settle for no less.

The youth basketball uniforms have been designed keeping in mind that basketball is an indoor game, and the players sweat heavily in closed environments. The basketball jerseys are therefore sleeveless and loose fitting with large armholes. They are made of top quality mock mesh, dazzle, tricot mesh or pro mesh material, which is light and thin to wear. The shorts are baggy with elastic waistbands and drawstrings. This helps the players to run and jump freely. All basketball players are required to wear sneakers.

In the early days, the male uniform consisted of a pair of long pants and a T-shirt while the female players dressed in frilly skirts and flat-bottomed sneakers. Today the women's uniforms are better designed, and more suitable for play.

The team's name is printed across the upper chest area. It also carries the player's number. Several teams' print the player's number on the back of the jersey for the player to be identified by the officials, coach or referee. The NBA players especially are required to wear jerseys with numbers printed on the back.

There is great importance attached to the jersey number. The number varies from 4 to 15 at international tournaments. At the high school and college levels, the numbers range from 1-5, 10-15, 20-25, 30-35, 40-45, and 50-55, plus 0 and 00. Some states require the high school teams to wear even-numbered jerseys when playing at home, and odd-numbered jerseys if they're playing at other colleges. Also, teams can choose either 0 or 00; they can't have both.

All teams can come up with their own color schemes for uniforms. But the basketball tournament committees regulate the placement of logos, numbers, players' names etc. Any addition to the uniform needs to be cleared by the tournament committee. This regulation ensures that there is uniformity in the way basketball uniforms are designed.

In the United States, college basketball has gained quite a following nationwide ever since it began in the early 20th century. Now, with the immense popularity of the NBA and its superstars, many students are looking to get noticed in college basketball recruiting, to play in college basketball teams and even perhaps in the NBA.

The Basketball Association of America (BAA) was formed in 1946, at which the organization of the top professional teams began to gain greater attention. This in turn led to the increased popularity of the professional level of the game. The first professional game was played in Toronto, Ontario, in Canada on November 1, 1946. The teams were the Toronto Huskies and New York Knickerbockers. After three seasons, the BAA became premier top professional basketball league in the USA.

The NBA supports the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). It began in 1997, with a rather tenuous opening season. However, due to several prominent players including Sheryl Swoopes and Sue Bird contributed to the league's popularity and increased level of competition. Other women's professional leagues in the United States (such as the American Basketball League, for instance), have not been able to compete with the popularity of the WNBA.

In college basketball recruiting, it is necessary for a student needs to be noticed by to prospective coaches. Many students, however, underestimate this chance and tend to blow their chances at a scholarship from the very beginning. The Internet has proven to be a useful venue for both students in college basketball and coaches involved in the process. There are many websites and online forums wherein students and scouts can come together and interact. D1Athletes is an online community wherein high school athletes and coaches alike can share and exchange information they need during college basketball recruiting. D1Athletes offers them a place to build an online presence and gain important public exposure.