The Sheffield Hatters will lock horns with the Caledonia Gladiators in the Betty Codona Trophy final on Sunday, but this is more than a normal occasion; it is an event steeped in important history.

In the current landscape of sport, filled with tribalism and financial benefits, it is easy to forget those who wore those jerseys before us. The people who paved the way for the moments of the day to be possible.

Women’s sport may still face its nonsensical challenges, but there was a darker time in which it was unfathomable to even look in the direction of sporting equipment.

No matter what your interest level is in female sports, the respect that should be shown for these brave people who fought for something bigger than themselves must be appreciated, and certainly never forgotten — Betty Codona is a name that deserves recognition as more than a piece of silverware.

Betty Codona – shaping women’s basketball

Without the marvellous work of Betty Codona, the state of women’s basketball in this country would be unthinkable.

In 2022, Codona passed away aged 83 but left behind a lasting legacy that will be forever cherished and remembered, especially by those with an affiliation to the Sheffield-based franchise.

All the way back in 1961, in a time when women’s sport was banned in the United Kingdom (1921-1971), Betty Codona showed no fear and founded England’s first-ever basketball team — the Sheffield Hatters.

Yes, you read that correctly, female athletes were banned from kicking a bag of air. This did not intimidate the Sheffield legend, only inspired her to turn an unstoppable tide.

Not only did she create a foundation for a team to become the most successful women’s basketball club in the country — winning over 60 national titles — but she took it upon herself to lead this club into battle.

From 1989-2009, Codona lifted 40 titles during her time as head coach before retiring to serve as Chair of the club.

Her triumphs included the Hatters’ first league title in 1991, the first-ever women’s cup-treble in 1993, and remained undefeated for two entire seasons (1995-1997).

National recognition highlighted what an inspiration Codona was

To change the fortunes of a club is one thing; however, to change the fortunes of an entire sporting world is something few humans will ever comprehend.

Betty Codona was deservedly honoured with an OBE in 1989 for her services to sport. Additionally, in 2021, she was named BBC Yorkshire’s Unsung Hero in 2021 due to her dedicated efforts to the Hatters throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.

No accolade could truly award Betty Codona for the tireless and life-altering commitment she pledged to not only the Sheffield Hatters but women’s sport as a whole.

Not only did she show that women can play basketball without limitations, but she also showed everybody that anything is possible if you are willing to fight for it.

Remember when you are watching the fiercely contested final between the Sheffield Hatters and the Caledonia Gladiators this weekend, this is more than just a piece of silverware — this is another historical moment that could not have been possible without the legendary Betty Codona OBE.