Family concerns

Muhammed's mother, Kehinde Muhammed, has faced criticism for allowing her daughter to play. "So many people discouraged me," she said. "But I respect my children's decisions. I support her and keep praying for her."

She sews hijabs to match team jerseys. "I counsel her that this is the normal way you're supposed to be dressed as a Muslim," she said.

Model Queens coach Muyhideen Abdulwahab is trying to change perceptions. "We go out to meet parents, to tell them there are laws in place for modest dressing," he said. "Despite that, some still say no."

Team member Bashirat Omotosho, 19, is passionate about the sport, but cannot always attend training because she has to help her mother sell fried dough snacks at a roadside stall, a key income source for the family.

Sometimes the team jogs past the stall as part of its training, which is frustrating for her.

"Training is often in the morning, but I have to be here," she said, handing snacks to customers. "I can't leave my mom — this is how I earn money."

Her mother, Titilayo Omotosho, was initially hostile to the teenager's sporting ambition.