PHILIPSBURG--Femke Jansen is a 29 year old attorney at law. She spends a lot of time in and on the court. When not at work Jansen plays basketball.
“I started playing when I was nine,” said Jansen. “I guess that is most of my life.” Jansen played for a team in Utrecht, the Netherlands. She and her team mates faced 10 to 12 squads each season which would start in September and run to April.
“During the off season I played a lot of 3-on-3 games,” said Jansen.
Approximately seven months ago Jansen moved to St. Maarten. It was not long before she missed the hardwood and went looking for a game.
She found the Walichi Basketball Association and started training on the outdoor court at John Cooper Jose sr. Ballpark Wednesday evenings starting at 7:30pm.
Her former teammates heard about the great weather in the Caribbean and have decided to pay Jansen a visit and have arrange to play an exhibition game play a friendly exhibition game at L.B. Scott Sports Auditorium Thursday starting at 7:00pm.
Jansen is hoping the game will draw attention to Women’s basketball.
“There is a lot of talent on St. Maarten,” said Jansen. “We need more help. Coaches, people to run the games and of course more girls.”
Jansen says the Association currently has players ranging in age from 17 to 40.
Jansen will play Thursday with her old team as only a small group along with the coach were able to make the trip.
“It will be a lot of fun playing with my old team.” She continued to say she expects her new teammates to put up a good fight and make the game very competitive,
