There's no denying the UConn women's basketball players have some serious talent.
That’s exactly why 83-year-old Jeanne Baker and a dozen other women in the Connecticut Senior Women’s Basketball League are hoping they can pick up a few pointers.
On Thursday, they took the court at Gample Pavillion during halftime of the Huskies home game against Tulsa.
"Somebody said we've played here," the team’s second-oldest player, Joan Youngs, said. "I can't remember, but we have, I guess."
It’s hard to keep track of all the places these women have been.
"My team won the bronze medal at the [Senior] Nationals last summer," Youngs said. "One of the teams has got the gold medal."
But playing the Huskies home court is a homecoming for some.
Local
"I don't even know whether UConn had a basketball team then," Baker said. "They may have."
It might have been a few years since they first learned the rules of the game, but they still received a warm welcome from the UConn crowd.
"The crowd reception is wonderful but I think people are just applauding the fact that older people can still be active," 60-year-old Laurie Bliss said.
Still, there are some things that athletes never grow out of.
"We're very nice to each other at practices," Bliss said. "When you put a ref out there it's just like any other team."
The league is made up of several teams from across Connecticut and Massachusetts. They said they’re always looking for more women over 50 to join. For more information, call (860) 368-0456.
