Girls bounce in to Myerscough Basketball Academy

The latest expansion of the College’s highly successful academy sees a cohort of eight female students beginning a BTEC Diploma in Basketball Studies.

The Academy, which has enjoyed phenomenal success since being established in 2013, has appointed former Great Britain Women’s captain, Julie Page, to take the lead in the the new girl’s programme. Julie is a vastly experienced player in the women’s game and was part of the Team GB roster that competed in the London 2012 Olympics.

Julie says: ‘’I’m looking forward to passing on more than 15 years of playing experience to the next generation. To be able to have access to the professional environment at Myerscough College is huge for the development of the girls and is something I would have benefitted from massively in my early years.’’

“I’m really excited to see our young British talent up close and for them and their families to experience the incredible environment Myerscough can provide.’’

The Myerscough College Basketball Academy was launched in September 2013 and is designed to provide students with the unique opportunity to develop a comprehensive understanding of the game, whilst studying towards qualifications that provide the ideal pathway to university level degree courses or the world of basketball.

In just their second season, as well as high academic achievement, the Academy was crowned national champions as well as winning a string of other trophies and tournaments. The new programme is being delivered at Myerscough’s state-of-the-art, purpose built High Performance Centre for Sport.

Neal Hopkins is the Head of the academy and says: ‘’It’s fantastic we’ve got Julie on board and that we have such a big name within women’s basketball to pass on her knowledge and experience of the game.

‘’Our students receive high quality coaching every day - from both a team and individual perspective- and have access to our state of the art strength and conditioning facilities. Encompassing academic lessons, coaching sessions, physio and rehabilitation clinics and competitive fixtures Myerscough aims to give a ‘next level’ experience which is supported by qualified tutors and highly experienced coaches.

‘’It’s hoped the girls can follow in the boy’s footsteps and enjoy similar success in years to come.’’

The photographs show Myerscough College’s first ever female basketball students. They are – Emma Cheetham, Shauna Harrison, Freya Kelshaw, Milly Knowles, Sophie Latchford, Caitlin Power-Tarbatt, Jadzea Quinn and Bodoudise Subi.