By Izzy Keating
The confidence of the Women’s Basketball team is at an all time high, as the anticipated Taxi’s Cup draws closer.
Despite the change of coach mid-season, the team’s moral is strong, and new coach Julia Schwaegevl is providing the girls with a winning standard of training.
Speaking to the team’s captain Julia Wiedermann, it is clear that the team have had a great season. She says, ‘we had a bit of a slow start to the season and then it picked up.’ She explains why; ‘all the girls get on really well and they’re all good friends so they’re friendly on court as well. You need the skill as well, of course.’
Recently the team hit some rocks, and the girls were put to the test. She says, ‘This season it was a slow start for us because of our coaching problems so that hit moral a little bit as well. The guy had been our coach for so long, and all the people who had been playing a wee bit longer, they were upset… that affected our results. But we’re definitely stronger now than we were this time last year.’
Julia spoke about the Taxi’s Cup, which the team have won four years in a row, and intend on taking home once again this year. Does the training change as it approaches near? ‘We train all year around so nothing really changes for us at the taxi cup. We play in leagues that are higher than other universities so it should be an easy win.’ Are they worried about the competition? ‘Strathclyde are quite strong this year but two of their players have dropped out so were not really worried. our first team play two leagues above them so that makes us less worried.’
It seems as if the team are all very close, and this definitely shows on court. The friendship between the girls looks like the key to their game. Julia found it difficult to pick out one star player. ‘I think the whole team have developed. it was like a huge team development for us so i don’t know I cant take just one person.’ But she did name a player who has shown a huge development on court in such a short time;
‘We’ve got one girl Hannah who is starting five for the seconds. She has moved up and she is pretty much starting five for the first now- so she’s developed a lot. We have players who are consistently good, and we have players who have bucked up and started playing more.’
Hannah Doherty also emphasized how the team has made such an improvement this season. She said, ‘I haven’t played against the Caledonian team before but I think we will beat Strathclyde. We have really improved with our new coach and we now run fast breaks much better. We play better as a team in general and our defence is stronger, so just generally improved at everything.’
It is great to see such passion, and it is clear that they are enjoying playing as a team. Best of luck ladies!
