Women's basketball has existed in some form since as far back as the late 19th century.

The sport has certainly come along way since Dr James Naismith, in 1891, nailed 2 peach buckets to the balconies of the YMCA gymnasium in Springfield Massachusetts.

A few miles up the Connecticut River was the home of Smith College for girls in Northampton. In 1892, the physical education teacher, Senda Berenson used it in her classes. The purpose of the game was for physical fitness for her ladies. Senda would change some of Naismith's rules to strive teamwork and cooperation, rather then competition. She would break the court into 3 zones and 9 players would exist on each team. Each zone would have 3 players in it. No player could leave her zone. The player could only hold the ball 3 seconds and dribble the ball 3 times before passing. This reduced the ability for single players to become stars and required the effort of all. No snatching of the ball was allowed as well.

On March 21st 1893, the first collegiate game was played at Smith. The freshman class played the sophomore class. The doors to the gym were locked and no men were allowed in to watch, as it was not considered socially acceptable.

In this first game, each basket was worth 1 point. The class of 1896 would go on to defeat the class of 95 5-4, and the history was born.

Women's Basket ball would spread very quickly across the country. By 1896 it was established at several colleges and in April of 1896, the first intercollegiate game was played. This was between Stanford and Berkley. This was a game of 9 versus 9. The male gender would again be boycotted from the event. Women were assigned to the windows and doors to ensure none of these men would interrupt the game. In this game, no player was allowed to run more then 5 feet before passing it on.**

** Information generously provided by John Molina @ The History Of Women's Basketball

Basketball was a demonstration sport in St Louis Olympics of 1904 and did not achieve full medal status until Berlin 1936. At each of the Olympics that were staged from Berlin until Mexico City 1968, the United States did not lose a match and consequently won seven straight gold medals. The USSR inflicted the first defeat on the United States in the final in Munich 1972. It was the sixty-third game of Olympic basketball that the United States had played. Because of the controversial nature of the finish to that game the members of the United States team refused to collect their silver medals.

The women’s competition was introduced four years later in Montreal.

In recent years the women's game has gained more and more recognition, gaining its own "Hall of Fame" as a result.

While the women's game has been proclaimed more fundamentally sound than the men's -- from none other than legendary UCLA coach John Wooden -- critics charge that it will never be as exciting if it doesn't go above the rim.

In 1994, Candice Parker become the first woman to win a major slam-dunk contest, beating five men in an event that is part of the McDonald's All-American game in Oklahoma City.

I've been dunking the ball since I was 15," she said. "I just wanted to get my first one down and knew I'd be all right."

Candice also became the first female player to dunk in an NCAA game when she achieved the feat on 19/03/06. The 6-foot-4 Parker jamming one-handed on a breakaway just 6:12 into the second-seeded Lady Vols’ 102-54 victory against an Army team that was making its NCAA Tournament debut.

Then, for good measure, Parker ensured her place in basketball lore by becoming the first to do it twice in a college game with another one-hander on the baseline. She finished with 26 points in 26 minutes, and added five rebounds, a career-high seven assists, four blocks, two steals — and the feeling of an obstacle cleared.

Candice Parker followed on in the footsteps of another trailblazer in the women's "dunking"game - Michelle Snow.

One of the best-known players in women's college basketball, the 6-5 center has no problem having the reputation as a dunker.

"That's fine," Snow said. "I just don't want people to associate me as only being a dunker, you know, because there's so many other aspects to my game. Or it may be good. It may catch people off guard."

Snow became only the third woman to dunk in a college game on Nov. 25, 2000 when she stole the ball, ran down the open court and jammed it through the hoop with both hands, momentarily hanging on to the rim.

On Jan. 23, 2001, Snow joined the more elite multiple dunk club when she slammed against Vanderbilt. Taking a 60-foot pass from Kara Lawson, Snow again threw one down with both hands. This time, she was whistled for a technical foul for hanging on the rim too long.

Snow's third dunk came at South Carolina with a one-handed jam on Jan. 17, 2002.

But whilst the U.S.A may lay claim to having the biggest following in the sport, the popularity of the sport in the U. K is starting to really grow....

England Women, in their first competitive tournament since 2002, were victorious in the quest for a Bronze medal on 12.03.06 with a 75 - 78 victory over Nigeria in this year's Commonwealth Games.

England had a nervous start making only 6 from 19 field goal attempts. Andrea Congreaves and Captain Claire Maytham finished the quarter with 6 apiece to keep England close, however England finished the first quarter down by one, 17 – 16.

England went in to the second quarter determined not to be outdone and stepped up their defensive effort to keep Nigeria at bay. England’s shooting was still letting them down but Kristy Lavin posted 5 second quarter points to edge England into a half time lead, 30 – 36.

Shelly Boston, scoreless going into the third quarter stepped up her inside game with powerful plays and notched up 10 third quarter points but then picked up her forth foul.

England kept up their defensive pressure and ended the quarter with a 9 point lead.

In the forth quarter Nigeria staged a fight back and were only 2 points down with 1 minute 25 seconds to go. England fans were on the edge of their seat but England managed to hold on and come out winners 75 – 78.

Congreaves showed her experience in the forth and finished with a game high 21 points.

Captain Claire Maytham, said, ‘After the disappointment of the defeat against New Zealand we regrouped and knew it was important to get a result in this game. We are all very emotional right now, but we are ecstatic to be coming home with a medal’

England’s Katie Crowley commented,

‘This is a fantastic result for the team and hopefully for women’s basketball in England.’