Batley Ninjas Featured in Sport & Physical Activity Professional

Everyone at Rounders England was delighted to read Sport & Physical Activity Professional (S&PA) recent feature on rounders league side, Batley Ninjas.


The Batley Ninjas were formed in 2015 by Ready Steady Active (RSA). The team provides opportunities to women and girls from South Asian backgrounds to be able to participate in sport and physical activity, a community who has the lowest participation rates in the country and have historically struggled to play sport.

The article focuses on the challenges and opportunities that sports like Rounders provide. Team captain, Sofiya Makda spoke about the benefits of playing rounders to both her and other members of the team, including helping those with social anxiety and isolation, to build friendships and bond with other members of the community.

“Sofiya Makda, a businesswoman from Batley who joined Batley Ninjas in 2015 before taking over as team captain, says the club has made a huge difference to her life and to that of other women in the local South Asian community.” (S&PA Professional).

In the article, founder of the RSA Rounders League, Rashida Salloo discussed her motivations behind forming the league:

“I set up RSA because of the barriers I faced growing up as a teenage girl; I didn’t see any others like myself playing sport. There were no role models for me. I always had it in my mind that I wanted to help girls like myself.”

“Salloo praises Rounders England for putting its weight behind the Ready Steady Active League (RSA), by helping to promote it and even coming to her for advice. She also favours their new strategy, which she says is all about connecting communities through rounders and their recognition that they need to grow participation within the game.” (Colin Cottell, S&PA Professional).

S&PA Professional is the official publication of the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA). The quarterly magazine offers a mix of topical content, including in-depth features, debate on crucial industry issues, training, education and research updates in addition to relevant industry news.

For more information about the article, please contact Julia Rice, Marketing & Commercial Officer: E [email protected] T 0114 248 0357.

Article by Rounders England:

Rounders England is a non-profit sport’s national governing body (NGB) in England.
Rounders England provides a structure for the sport from the Board, local deliverers and teams right the way through to individual members and volunteers.