Young Shireen has big dreams

NAGPUR: She stands five feet, 10-and-a-half inch tall with ambitions as high as the skies. On Monday, Pune girl Shireen Limaye inched a bit closer to her dream and in the process became the youngest hoopster to be picked for the senior women's basketball camp.
Shireen, 16, impressed the selectors by her rebounding and shooting skills during the 61st IMG-Reliance National Basketball Championship held in New Delhi recently.
If Shireen gets selected to the senior team, she may become the only player to represent India at an international event in two sports-basketball and netball. She was part of the Indian netball team for the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games. The list of sports Shireen excells at doesn't stop here -- she also impressed all in the 2009 U-21 snooker nationals.
At the moment, the lover of rock music and Hollywood movies, is all focussed on basketball only. "Basketball first, anytime. I have been playing it for the last 11 years and derive a lot of joy from it," said Shireen, who is currently undergoing preparatory camp of Maharashtra U-16 team at Vashi, Navi Mumbai.
Shireen made her maiden appearance for India at the Asian under-16 basketball championship in Pune in 2009, where she was adjudged 'rebound ace' for latching on to the ball rebounding from the board 61 times, She wants to fulfil her mother's dream of donning the India colours in the senior category.
Basketball is a family affair for the Limayes. Shireen learned the basics of the sport from her mother Suvarna, a former India player. Shireen's elder brother Animesh too plays basketball and is a regular member of the state team.
Shireen is a big admirer of Geethu Anna Jose, captain of the senior India team. Just like her idol, she too has a dream of playing the biggest basketball league-the WNBA. During the 45-day senior women's camp, to be held in New Delhi, Shireen may get an opportunity to play along side Geethu.
At 16, she has already carved a niche for herself as someone with lot of potential and Shireen is confident of translating her talent into success. "After I clear my 10th Boards, I want to go to America to study," she says, "In five years, I wish to see myself in the WNBA."
To pick the 12-member Indian side for the 24th FIBA Asia Championship in Omura and Nagasaki, Japan from August 21-28, Basketball Federation of India (BFI) announced the list of 25 women hoopsters.
Selected players will have to undergo the India camp between May 20 and July 3 at the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex in New Delhi.