Cardiff Met welcomes elite basketball academies for University Experience Day
Cardiff Met welcomed some of the country’s leading young basketball players to Cyncoed Campus for a University Experience Day combining high-level competition with an insight into life as a student-athlete.
The Cardiff Met Women’s Basketball programme hosted U19 Women’s Elite Basketball Academies from Manchester, Birmingham and Solent on Saturday 12 September, bringing the teams together for a full day of basketball, university insight and player development.
Away from the court, the visiting players were given an opportunity to explore what studying and competing at Cardiff Met could look like.
Taraya Paget from the University’s Student Recruitment team delivered a university talk and campus tour, while current Cardiff Met student-athletes Charlotte Devereux and Louise Fisher shared their own experiences of balancing university life with basketball.
The opportunity to hear directly from current students gave the visiting players an insight into the different pathways available beyond their academy programmes and what the next stage of their academic and sporting careers could involve.
A coach from Birmingham said:
“Our girls thoroughly enjoyed seeing and hearing about life and study at Cardiff Met as well as playing in good competition against teams that we do not normally meet.
“As a result of the activities the girls obtained a considerable nudge along the performance pathway as well as a clearer vision of what might be possible in future. Thanks to the University staff for facilitating a wholly worthwhile experience.”
Basketball remained at the heart of the day, with five games taking place inside Archers Arena.
Cardiff Met’s own Archers U18 side joined the visiting academies in competition, before the day concluded with a showcase fixture between Cardiff Met’s Super League Basketball team and WNBL Division One side Manchester Mystics.
The event also provided an important development opportunity away from the teams themselves.
Working in collaboration with Basketball Wales, the day incorporated a table officials and officiating clinic, with referees and statisticians using the fixtures as part of their pre-season assessments.
Positive feedback from players and coaches has already generated interest in making the University Experience Day an annual fixture, creating another opportunity for talented young players to experience Cardiff Met while continuing their development on the basketball pathway.
By bringing together competition, education and first-hand insight from current student-athletes, the day provided visiting players with more than simply another set of fixtures. It gave them the chance to see where basketball could take them next.
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