‘It was the perfect opportunity’: Winchester’s Angels share why they chose to play basketball

They are shooting for the stars one hoop at a time.

The Winchester women’s basketball team is a collective of enthusiastic and talented students, made up of a range of abilities.

They call themselves the Winchester Angels and the name seems fitting. 

These women have strived to make training a welcoming space for all, as they begin to push towards competitions making sure that each dunk counts.

Most of them started this sport from a young age and followed it through to university branching out physically and socially as a team. 

But what exactly got them into playing the sport?

Captain of women’s basketball, Aisha said: “I’ve been doing it since I was a kid.

“I really enjoy it. I want to improve my skills, play some games and meet new people.”

She said all she wanted for this season was to create a welcoming and friendly environment for young women to learn and experience the sport she knows and loves.

She described the competitive team as “always leaving games with a smile on our faces”. 

It is so important in sports societies and teams to make members feel connected, committed and most importantly happy, she said.

This basketball team attempts to reignite the spark that a lot of young players felt when they first started playing the sport.

Some of the players from the Winchester Angel’s wanted to share their reasons of playing and joining this specific team. 

Izzy Freeston said: “I’ve always been interested in shooting hoops from a young age, I used to play with my friends from back home and in college and I thought this was the perfect time to get back into it.

“And the team seemed super lovely. It was the perfect opportunity. “

Freya Robinson said: “I’ve never played before, I used to play basketball in my back garden with my brothers, and when I came to uni I thought I might as well give it a go and now I love it.” 

Women’s basketball is a growing sport that has become increasingly more popular over the years and with this positive and inclusive environment these women are creating for their sport team, it is easy to understand why.