SV Fellbach Revives Women’s Basketball Program After Two-Decade Hiatus

After a 20-year absence, women’s basketball is making a comeback to SV Fellbach, fueled by growing interest and support from local clubs. The initiative, spearheaded by department head Andreas Tsiminos, aims to rebuild a program that dissolved in 2014 due to dwindling player numbers.

A History of Setbacks

The last time SV Fellbach’s women’s basketball team competed in a league game was on March 22, 2014, against TSV Viernheim in the Second Bundesliga. The team was already facing relegation to the Regional League, and just four months later, the program was officially discontinued due to a lack of players. This followed the dissolution of a previous women’s basketball initiative four years prior, leaving a void in the club’s youth development pipeline. Since then, basketball at SVF has been exclusively a men’s sport.

A New Beginning

Last spring, Andreas Tsiminos began recruiting girls interested in playing basketball, initially with support from TV Oeffingen, which provided training facilities. The response has been overwhelmingly positive, with up to 19 girls aged five to eleven currently participating in weekly training sessions led by Tsiminos and Tyseem Lyles, a player from the first team. An U-10 team has already begun competing in league play.

Expanding Training Capacity

Due to the growing number of participants, SV Fellbach has secured additional training time at the TSV Schmiden sports forum on Fridays. Yet, a common challenge remains: a lack of height-adjustable basketball hoops. Currently, only the Fellbacher Gäuäckerhalle II has adjustable hoops, but it lacks available training slots.

Focus on Youth Development

The club’s immediate focus is on developing the U-10 and U-12 age groups, with the long-term goal of establishing a sustainable women’s basketball program. Girls aged five to eleven are welcome to join the Wednesday training sessions from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM at sports hall 2/gymnastics hall (Albert-Eise-Weg 3 in Oeffingen). Interested individuals can contact Andreas Tsiminos at jugend@flashers.de for more information.