The Silver Storm (formerly known as the Orange Sprots) is a basketball team for women over 45. We practice and scrimmage year round, and annually compete in the Orange County and North Carolina Senior Games. Every other year, our sights are set on playing at the National Senior Games. And who knows? Some day we may aim for the Huntsman World Senior Games! During tournaments, we play 3-on-3 half court basketball in age-based groups separated by 5 year increments (50-54, 55-59, 60-64, etc.)
We welcome everyone, even if you haven’t played since high school. Some of our players played in rec leagues only or a year or two in high school, and others competed at the highest level in Division 1 college basketball. Some love the thrill of competitions and others are just here to get some exercise, make friends, and have fun. While we welcome players from all over North Carolina (and have some who travel quite far to play with us!) most of us are in the Triangle area and our practices are generally held in Chapel Hill.
Why Senior Basketball?
Playing team sports like basketball benefits women who are 45+ in so many ways! Keeping active can help improve balance, coordination, bone density, and muscle mass and help manage some chronic health issues. Research also shows that participation in team sports leads to better mental health and cognitive performances, while helping people create and maintain social connections. Most of all, it’s just plain fun!
Statement on Diversity
One of the greatest strengths of Silver Storm isn’t just our experience, our hustle, or our love of the game — it’s our diversity. We come from different racial and cultural backgrounds. We represent different sexual orientations. We’ve walked different paths in life, built different careers, raised families in different ways, and overcome different challenges. That variety isn’t something that separates us – it’s what makes us stronger. Every one of those experiences adds depth and strength to our team.
Our team’s diversity shows up in different playing styles, different leadership styles, different ways of communicating and encouraging one another. Off court, it shows up in the wisdom, empathy, and perspective we bring to the gym and beyond. One of the best and most frequent comments we hear from new players is that “Everyone is so friendly and welcoming on our team.” As a Senior Women’s Basketball Team, we understand that respect matters. Inclusion matters. Feeling seen and valued matters. Let’s continue to:
· Celebrate teammates of every age, race, cultural background, and sexual orientation,
· Listen to one another, and
· Create a space where everyone feels safe, welcomed, and supported.
Let’s keep showing up for each other!!
What about the Sprots?
Prior to becoming the Silver Storm for the 2026 season, our senior women’s basketball team was known as the Orange Sprots. The name came from a typo when someone misspelled Sports in and email referring to the Orange County Sportsplex. The team needed a name and discovered, via the Urban Dictionary, that Sprot could also be slang for “super hot,” and went with it! After a lot of discussion, the team decided to retire the name in 2025 and voted for the name Silver Storm in 2026.
Interested?
Want to know more? Email us at seniorwomensbasketball@gmail.com, check out our social media, or fill out this interest form: [link to an interest form]. You can also check out our Get Involved page for more information for new players.
