Two basketball courts filled with eager students ready to play three-on-three basketball at Woodridge Athletic Recreation Center. As some chatted with friends, others were already shooting hoops. A few wear hijabs, Muslim headscarves that cover the hair.

Nooreen Makda, a senior at Glenbrook South High School, said she does not play with Muslim teammates at school, and she is the only player who is Muslim.

“It’s new. I like playing with Muslims a lot because everyone wears the same thing as me, and it’s easier to connect here with people,” Makda said of her experience playing basketball outside of school with a team of Muslim girls.

Aminah Chaudhary and Fuad Khaleel founded the Muslim youth basketball league, known as iDrive FA — Faith and Athletics in 2022. They fund the local nonprofit themselves, buying supplies like jerseys and basketballs and hiring referees.

Khaleel moved from Missouri to the Chicago area with his two sons and was looking for a basketball program for his kids. He connected with Chaudhary through an Islamic center, and they started sharing gym space with her and her kids.

Khaleel and Chaudhary decided to host a skills camp that about 200 children participated in. Even though it was meant to be a one-time thing, the overwhelming interest led them to continue coaching.

“In college, I met a lot of Muslim friends,” Chaudhary said. “I started to see people who had the potential to be really athletic and even do things like play basketball but had never done it growing up.

“Just the idea of going to the gym to work out or to come play basketball, it just wasn’t normal to them, so they would hesitate.” 

Muslims pray five times each day — sunrise, midday, late afternoon, sunset and night. Chaudhary said players can often feel awkward when they have to step away from practice to pray. Many Muslims, she added, feel more comfortable practicing their religion with others who do the same.

Muslim athletes are increasingly coming into the spotlight. Jana El Alfy of the University of Connecticut women’s basketball team is a Muslim player from Egypt. She had to fast during Ramadan, which happened during March Madness. So, teammate Paige Bueckers would make breakfast for El Alfy before her daily fast. El Alfy, who helped lead the UConn women to a national championship this year, does not wear a hijab when she plays.

Chaudhary also noted that the Muslim community is very academically focused. Her mom came to the U.S. as an immigrant, so Chaudhary had more educational opportunities than sports opportunities. 

Chaudhary had just finished playing a successful varsity basketball season when she first went to college. She went to a Division I school, but she didn’t try to play because she thought, “I got to study now. Basketball is just for fun.”

“As I got older, I found a new perspective on it (sports) that I feel like I can give back to our community and kind of share some of the stuff that I didn’t know when I was younger,” Chaudhary said.

At a practice, player Nidaa Nabeel runs around the court with confidence, directing her teammates and hyping them up with small pats on the back and high-fives. Nabeel, a senior at Downers Grove North High School, said she has always loved basketball. She joined iDrive to be a part of a Muslim community, which is hard to find at her high school.

“Coming here, it’s like, ‘Wow everyone’s the same, and I get to fit in,’” Nabeel said. “I get to show my potential.”

Nabeel’s experience as a Muslim woman in sports has been “tough.” She quit playing basketball at school her junior year because she felt her coaches and teammates weren’t supportive.

“I don’t think they see you as a threat. I think they see you like you’re different. So why should we treat you like one of us,” Nabeel said. “Being able to witness that every day is very heartbreaking.”

In 2021, Illinois passed the Inclusive Athletic Attire Act, and it has changed the outlook on what religious athletes can wear in sports. 

Nabeel said her high school teammates excluded her because she wore modest clothing — wearing a hijab and tights under her shorts — while playing basketball, but it never affected her.

“I’ll never change myself for other people, so I’ll continue to wear the hijab and play basketball,” Nabeel said. “It’s my character, my identity. … I do it for myself, but honestly, it’s empowering.” 

There are also some college basketball players that are Muslim, like El Alfy and Hassan Diarra, who plays on UConn’s men’s team. 

Though basketball is usually played in winter, the iDrive league runs year round. About 135 kids attended May 4. They range from first grade to 12th grade.

Cofounder Khaleel said he has seen many of the kids come out of their shell when they start playing at iDrive. He and Chaudhary also try to focus on building the young players’ characters as individuals, not just athletes.

He also loves seeing them build lasting friendships with other players.

“To me, that’s success when you look at a program — because you’re really building relationships that these kids can look back to when they’re our age,” Khaleel said.

The league currently meets every Sunday from April 27 through May 25 at Woodridge Athletic Recreation Center in the west suburbs of Chicago. Khaleel and Chaudhary hope to continue to build community. They also hope to turn this league into a long-term business.

“We’re not exclusive to Muslims,” Chaudhary said. “But just the fact that you’re surrounded by Muslims, it takes that little extra discomfort you might have in another environment out of it.”

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