As a certified personal trainer and founder of Safe Haven Fitness, Jennifer Mesika helps stroke survivors and those with developmental disabilities improve their mobility through physical therapy. Her career was inspired by her love of basketball, which drove her to start a women’s league that calls the Winter Park Community Center its home stadium.

She discovered basketball at a young age and played for her high school team, but never lost her desire to be on the court with her peers. “It’s a lot harder for a woman to play with men because you don’t understand basketball,” Mesika told the32789. “It almost feels like you’re a prop.”

The road to the league began in 2021 with local pick-up games organized by the Orlando Women’s Basketball Club through the social events app Meetup. An Instagram profile designed to raise awareness quickly gained traction and currently has more than 750 followers. Mesika applied to elevate the club to league status at the Winter Park Community Center in the spring. After turning down an initial option to form a co-ed league, she was able to partner with the Parks & Recreation Department in June and make local history. “They are the first all-women’s league of any sport in Winter Park,” said Clarissa Howard, director of the city’s communications department.

Mesika says all-female teams allow players to be themselves and develop at their own pace, but building a league presents greater challenges than making the playoffs.

Mesika’s role as a player expanded to include that of commissioner; she recruited players, oversaw the production of jerseys and even held a meeting to organize talent into teams. “We had a lot of players, but we had to figure out what skills they had and how they fit together,” she said. “It’s a lot of work, but when it’s time to play games, it’s worth it.”

The seven-team league meets every Tuesday at the Community Center for a doubleheader so every team can play. The league’s playoffs and a knockout championship game are scheduled for September, and non-league players can also join in every Friday in open indoor games that currently draw between 15 and 20 players each week. The seeds of expansion are already beginning to germinate, with the pick-up games in Celebration laying the groundwork for more teams. “The goal is to spread out,” said Mesika, who is working with a network of more than 300 players to potentially start leagues in additional Central Florida counties. “Winter Park is our flagship, but eventually we want to grow.”

Although the league originally started as a healthy outlet and a means to revitalize the sport of basketball, Mesika realizes it has become much more than that. “We’ve built a community – moms can come out and do what they love and bring their families for a fun night.”

For more information, visit the league’s Instagram page or the Adult Sports page in the Community Center section of the City of Winter Park website.