Nusaybah Mohamed’s basketball uniform will look a little different this year. She and other Muslim athletes at Dakota Collegiate now have the choice to wear a custom-made sporty hijab.
It’s black and gold with a Dakota Lancers Logo.
“We’re the second school in Canada to have done this, which is super exciting,” Nusaybah said.
The new headgear is thanks to an initiative started by her sister last year.
At the time, the now 17-year-old Amina Mohamed was playing basketball player and the co-President of the student body. She had played sports for years while wearing a hijab and sometimes, she said, referees would question if the safety pin used to hold her hijab together was safe for play. She came up with a solution.
“Create a Lancer hijab that we can first of all show our school spirit but also include the Muslim women who think they can’t play a sport because of the attire,” said Amina.
Dakota Collegiate found a website where it could place orders to buy sporty custom-made hijabs.
Nusaybah’s new Lancer hijab arrived last week. She wore it on the basketball court Monday.
“It’s lighter and it’s easier to use and it’s shorter and it’s also super quick to slip on,” Nusaybah said.
Basketball coach Eric Sung said his varsity players have never had any trouble wearing a hijab in a game, but Sung points out until this summer, the international body governing the sport of basketball, FIBA, had a ban on wearing hijabs, turbans, yarmulkes and other religious headgear to be worn during games.
“You’re going to see more athletes [who wear a hijab] playing and trying to be an elite athlete,” Sung said.
Amina graduated last year and is now studying sciences at the University of Manitoba. But her younger sister Nusaybah will play on the team again this year. Coach Sung estimates about 50 girls who attend Dakota Collegiate wear a hijab. Physical education is a part of the high school’s curriculum.
“I’m excited for the girls that are here including my little sister that’s in grade 11 right now,” said Amina, “And I know there’ other Muslim women wanting to play sports and are currently in sports.”
