Team sports can be a great way to get more active, while also enjoying the social benefits that come with being part of a team.
basketballscotland introduced their PickUp basketball initiative as a way for more people to take part in the sport recreationally, including sessions aimed at women and teenage girls. These sessions are hosted at various PickUp hubs across the country, and are aimed at women who are completely new to the sport or who haven’t played in a number of years.
The women’s PickUp basketball sessions are funded through the Women & Girls Fund, and there are now 16 sessions taking place across the country. One of these is led by Boroughmuir Blaze – watch the video below for an insight into their session!
Coach Heba Shoukry said: “I’m really grateful to be part of this group of ladies - they are wonderful and I think they’re really enjoying it. This is what keeps me going as a coach – I always tell them just to have fun and enjoy it.”
Fleur Ruckley is one of the participants who’s been enjoying the atmosphere and camaraderie at the sessions:
“We laugh a lot and it’s incredibly supportive, but you feel like you’re doing exercise. It’s so much more enjoyable than just going to the gym, and actually it feels like much better exercise as well.”
Amy Kirkhouse, Participation Manager at basketballscotland, said: “Our PickUp sessions for women and teenage girls are all about having fun and getting active. We now have 16 sessions running across 10 different cities with many women and girls playing basketball for the first time.
“You don't need to know anything about basketball to come along and all our sessions take part in a safe and supportive environment. If you want to do some exercise, make new friends and have a lot of fun then PickUp is for you!"
