Molten, a Global Partner of FIBA, proved its dedication to basketball by launching the Molten Female Local Champions Program there.
In conjunction with the recent conclusion of the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2022 in Sydney, the Molten campaign recognized women from all around Australia for their contributions to the growth and development of women’s basketball.
Mirrin Rashleigh (Gladstone, Queensland), Jacinta Govind (Central Coast, New South Wales), and Josie Taoi (Western Sydney, New South Wales) were the three women chosen to spend three days at the World Cup and participate in the FIBA Global Women in Leadership Forum, meet other coaches and administrators, and get a behind-the-scenes look at the competition.
“Molten is not just inventive in its quest to have excellence in its basketballs,” said FIBA Secretary General Andreas Zagklis. “Our most steadfast collaborator of the last four decades is aware of our goals and, in this instance, how we want to expand women’s participation in basketball at all levels. Myself and FIBA would like to thank Mirrin, Jacinta, and Josie for their dedication to growing the women’s basketball community.”
Govind, Taoi, and Rashleigh exemplify the power of a dedicated fandom for women’s basketball.
Govind is active in the women’s basketball community in several ways, including as a volunteer with Central Coast Basketball in New South Wales and as a co-host of the Shooting the Breeze podcast.
It meant the world to her to be chosen.
She emphasized the need of giving women who are actively serving as volunteers in their communities the platform and attention they deserve. “There are many individuals I know who give their time freely to manage teams, sell tickets at the gate, or officiate games. It’s fairly uncommon for people’s efforts to go unrecognized. The Molten Female Local Champions initiative will begin highlighting the game’s hidden champions.”
Taoi founded an organization called “Promote the Goat Uplift Inc.” to do just that. Located in Sydney’s Western suburbs, the organization coaches and hosts games for disadvantaged teenagers and young adults. The youngsters will learn valuable lessons and have their self-esteem boosted as a byproduct of their participation.
Taoi remarked, “The Molten Female Local Champions program is incredible, and it has motivated me to utilize my voice to advocate for other young women.” “As a young man, I floundered a little, but basketball helped me find my way. It helped me avoid negative influences and hang out with good friends and acquaintances, which had a profoundly beneficial effect on my life. I want to demonstrate to the younger generation the life-altering benefits of this practice.”
Taoi attended the Global Women in Leadership session and gained a lot of knowledge, she said, about what women in Papua New Guinea are doing for their society and how the She Hoops program ties to her own efforts.
Moreover, she was able to meet some of the iconic players she grew up rooting for because of the program, which was an incredible unexpected benefit.
She reminisced about her childhood as a result of meeting the Australian Opals during the reunion and seeing the retro films. “I admired these young ladies I met and had the opportunity to express my gratitude to them.”
Rashleigh, a native of the Gladstone Amateur Basketball Association in Queensland, has made significant contributions to the sport of women’s basketball. She plays in the Queensland State League and also coaches junior teams as a volunteer. Moreover, she served as president of the club.
“The chances we’ve been given while at the World Cup have been just great, and I’m simply still happy,” she remarked.
“At the Global Women in Leadership Forum, promising new programs were unveiled that demonstrate how to increase participation from women and create a more welcoming environment. I retract my statement and vow to provide a wider variety of game modes in an effort to draw in more players.”
Noa Hasegawa, Molten’s head of brand marketing, has stated, “We have witnessed a big success with the Molten Female Local Champions initiative and are keen to collaborate with FIBA to see this concept extended out worldwide in conjunction with other FIBA major events.”
This year’s Molten Ball Relay saw young women from 20 different clubs around Australia send well-wishes to the 12 teams competing in the World Cup.
