LADIES WHO HOOP, INC.
EXPERIENCE THE CULTURE
FINDING INSPIRATION IN EVERYDAY PLAY
Ladies Who Hoop, Inc. (“LWH”) is a nonprofit organization that fosters community and empowerment through basketball, promoting equity and inclusion for women and girls of all ages. LWH is a global, multigenerational network connecting communities across the United States and around the world, including New York, Boston, South Florida, Chicago, Los Angeles, Tokyo, Paris, Italy, Senegal and Lebanon.
LADIES WHO HOOP, INC.
LWHStory
Founded in New York City to address longstanding gender disparities in athletics, Ladies Who Hoop, Inc. has grown into the largest women-centered basketball community of its kind, serving a diverse membership of youth and adult participants.
Despite meaningful progress in women’s sports, inequities in access to programming, funding, and safe recreational spaces persist. Rising costs and limited access to consistent, structured athletic opportunities continue to restrict participation and limit pathways for leadership development and community connection. LWH addresses these challenges through free, year-round programming, services and special events designed to promote physical fitness, wellness, diversity, social connection and community engagement.
Program offerings range from hosting the first competitive leagues founded and facilitated exclusively by and for women, to instructional programming that introduces (or reintroduces) women and girls to the game. LWH is also deeply committed to the advancement of emerging leaders through youth enrichment and professional development opportunities. By removing financial barriers, LWH creates safe, inclusive spaces that build confidence, foster well-being, and strengthen community - on and off the court.
Ladies Who Hoop has been featured in the The New York Times, Time Magazine, SLAM Magazine, the West Side Spirit/Our Town, on the Today Show, ESPN+, CBS News, PIX11 News, and NBC’s The Kelly Clarkson Show. Ladies Who Hoop was also highlighted in the City/Game exhibition at the Museum of the City of New York, featured in two documentary films, and recognized by the Jackie Robinson Museum in the “Leveling the Playing Field: Women in Basketball” exhibition.
TEAM
LWH
OUR FOUNDER
For over a decade, Amber Batchelor has created spaces for women to engage, connect and celebrate a shared love of the game. Her commitment to improving lives through sports has earned recognition from the New York City Council as a “Woman with Vision” honoree, from People Magazine as an “American Doer” and from the New York Times as the “Mayor of Women’s Hoops.” By cultivating a global women's basketball network through Ladies Who Hoop, she continues to create valuable opportunities for youth and adults to extend their impact beyond the basketball court and become meaningful contributors to the greater community.
Recent projects include working on the first basketball-themed play to grace the stage at Lincoln Center Theater. As the production's Basketball Consultant, she assisted the ensemble cast and creative teams in the authentic portrayal of a high school girls' basketball team. The NYC debut of "FLEX" garnered rave reviews, including the distinction of NY Times Critic’s Pick.