The island’s top women players such as Liz Kerr, left, now have more than just the inter-insular and Island Games to aim for. (Picture by Peter Frankland, 0455997)
GUERNSEY have been accepted into the National Women’s Basketball League. From September the island side will be part of Division Two Southwest and Midlands.
‘All the girls are up for it,’ said Guernsey coach Pat Ogier. ‘It’s a fantastic opportunity to better ourselves and bring back new ideas and techniques from other teams. It’s something that we need to do now. We play the inter-insular once a year and the Island Games every two and it’s not enough competition. It’s going to be quite tough this season.’
Ogier’s side will take on the likes of Plymouth, Taunton, Birmingham, Cardiff and Bristol.
‘They are the same sorts of team to what we’ve played before, but you’re never too sure as the close season brings in a lot of players,’ he said.
‘Hopefully we’ll win some games on the way, but it’s about establishing ourselves and bringing up our players to that standard.’
Because of the costs involved with having teams travel over for matches, Guernsey will play their home games in Hamble, Southampton.
The fixtures list sees the Sarnians play their away matches on Saturdays and then their home games the following day.
It is expected that they will be in action one weekend out of three.
They have received sponsorship from Carey Olsen and FRM to take part in the league.
It is anticipated that there will be more than 20 matches over the season, which ends in April.
‘There’s going to be a lot of games, but we’ve got a big squad and we’re going to use all 19 players,’ said Ogier.
‘We will be looking to bring other players into that squad as well. Everyone is going to get a game.’
The president of the Guernsey Basketball Asso-ciation, Pete Beausire, is also delighted by the development.
‘Obviously it’s great news for local sport,’ he said.
‘It’s excellent for them as a team and as a group of individuals.
‘Playing at a higher standard of basketball is going to improve their game dramatically.
‘It’s also going to help our younger players to develop into better players at a quicker rate than if they just played local basketball.’
Beausire also stated that the plan is for the men’s team to follow suit.
‘[Coach] Jeff Stuart is looking into it,’ said Beausire.
‘That’s his future plan to get us into the South-West League, hopefully for the 2009-10 season.’
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