U.S. all-Muslim basketball team aims to break stereotypes
As the nation's only known all-Muslim AAU team, they had an important decision to make regarding their team’s name
The ‘Motor City Muslims’, a group of 16-year-old boys from Michigan, U.S., are aiming to shatter preconceived notions and stereotypes on Islam through basketball, reported Yahoo.
As the nation's only known all-Muslim Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) team, they had an important decision to make regarding their team’s name.
“We all know Islam often is unfortunately portrayed in a negative way in the media,” Clarence Archibald, the team’s coach, told Yahoo.
“I wanted to be sure we were easily identifiable as an all-Muslim team because it gave us an opportunity to change people's mindsets by showing them we're as American as home runs and apple pie,” Archibald added.
They also created a team logo featuring a character dressed in a traditional Islamic garb usually worn by men in the MENA region.
During their first tournament, the Motor City Muslims had managed to win a few games despite one opposing team taunting them during their warm up sessions.
Omar Shalal, a member of the team, claimed they played one of their best tournaments recently and that many in the audience had later changed their minds on them.
“We played one of our best games that day and blew them out. All the other teams came on the court afterward, congratulated us and said, 'Wow, you guys are actually pretty good,’” Shalal said.
Also Read
-
Rabbis, Imams try to bridge divide at NY meet
The leaders proposed joint projects that included basketball games between Muslim and Jewish teens Features -
Michigan man recites Muslim call to prayer in all 50 states
A Michigan marketing executive has recited the Muslim call to prayer in all 50 states Features -
Muslim gymnast slammed for wearing ‘revealing’ leotard
Islamic cleric Perak Mufti Tan Sri Harussani Zakaria suggested that gymnastics was not an appropriate sport for Muslim women Sports
