Are team sports the secret to living longer?

How a basketball league for “grannies” is reimagining aging.

In 2005, Barb Trammell gathered some friends for a charity basketball game to raise money for an old historic building in Lansing, Iowa. Abiding by the 1920s women’s 6-on-6 game rules created in her home state and donning the classic “bloomer” uniforms, the exhibition game of “Granny basketball” was a hit with locals.

More than 20 years later, the Granny Basketball League has gone national, with over 50 teams spread out across 11 states and even one in Canada, many of which come together for an annual tournament.

While the league provides fierce competition and fun for players and fans, it’s also redefining how retirees find purpose. Research shows it might even be helping them live longer. Quick movements and decisions on the court spark a link between the brain and the body. Being on a team later in life combats social isolation, a growing problem in the US, especially for older adults.

Our lifestyles evolve as we get older, but we’re always seeking connection, better health, and forward momentum. Being on a sports team checks all of these boxes. For the ladies of the Granny Basketball League, it’s an opportunity to ignite a new passion, build community, and keep their minds and bodies sharp.

Read more about the Granny Basketball League and the health benefits of team sports:

Visit the official Granny Basketball League website

Read the US surgeon general’s 2023 Advisory on the Healing Effects of Social Connection and Community

An NIH review of why older adults play sports

A Washington Post guest column on why it’s smart to play sports in your 60s and beyond

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