This content was published: June 23, 1998. Phone numbers, email addresses, and other information may have changed.
Portland Community College Instructor Gets Inside Stuff on American Basketball League's First Season
Photos and story by Mark Evertz
By Mark Evertz
When she played basketball it was either one-on-none in the chilly Chicago driveway of her parents’ home or in high school gym classes.
Today, Sara Gogol – author, Portland Community College instructor and rabid basketball fan – sees a whole new ballgame for women.
The new ballgame moves, shakes and drives to the basket in an all-encompassing new tome written by Gogol on the formation of the women’s American Basketball League, "Playing in a New League." The book was published by Masters Press in May. The first definitive book on the league marches through the history of women’s basketball – from the dress-wearing and "no dribbling" days to the emergence of women’s college basketball, and on to the creation of the ABL in 1996.
Central to the book are the people who made this happen, from Portland Power forward and former Lake Oswego High School standout Katy Steding, to ABL’s Chief Executive Officer and co-founder Gary Cavalli, along with several other coaches, a general manager and numerous players who brought the game to American audiences.
Gogol goes beyond the listing of player rosters – she digs deep into the personal and professional battles the founding members of the ABL fought before helping bring professional women’s basketball to the United States.
"These women are just fantastic role models," said Gogol of the more than 30 coaches, players and others she interviewed for the novel. "They are gutsy, hard-working women and it’s great to have them out there. They are great role models for boys and girls."
The American Basketball League was born following a formal announcement on Sept. 26, 1995. Women college all-stars and professional players toughing it out in professional leagues overseas could come home again. The inaugural season that Sara profiles in her book started in October 1996.
Run-and-gun full court basketball for women, nonexistent prior to 1971, hit the big time with the ABL finding the airwaves and filling stadium seats. With women’s hoops getting more respect and press coverage than ever before, Sara Gogol decided it was time to contribute what she could to the basketball world.
Gogol, a smidgen above 5-foot-4 and well past her high school gym basketball prime, had no dreams of walking on to her home team in Portland, the Portland Power. But being an English instructor at Portland Community College, and an accomplished writer with three previously published books, Sara knew she could combine her passion for basketball with her writing talents to shine a spotlight on a hot sport.
Originally conceived as a children’s book on Katy Steding ("Katy Steding – Pro Basketball Pioneer," also written by Gogol and released this summer by Lerner), "Playing in a New League" was crafted from scratch.
"I just decided that I’d like to write about something that I think will make a difference," Gogol said. "I am of the generation that didn’t get the benefits of Title IX (the anti-discrimination in education act for federally funded schools passed by Congress in 1972), so I really see what (the ABL) means and the progress that has been made."
After its May 1998 release date, Sara has been out to press the flesh at book signings and readings as far away as Chicago.Some Bay Area signings are slated for early October.
Feedback on the book has been favorable. Portland Power Coach Lin Dunn gave the book high praise on a local radio show. ABL’s Cavalli sees the book as a great "behind the scenes" look at the formation of the professional basketball league he and co-founder Steve Hams fought to bring to the people who love women’s basketball. Cavalli said he also enjoyed Sara’s ability to humanize the founding players, coaches other key personnel through in-depth profiles.
"(Sara) had a very good grasp on women’s basketball ­ where it has been, where it is now and where it hopes to go," Cavalli said. "She did a good job depicting the struggles to create something from scratch."
Cavalli noted that with Sara’s book comes a better understanding of the league he is running, something he was more than happy to help Sara portray to fans. "I hope to see Sara on a national book tour," Cavalli said chuckling, but not really joking.