A UNIVERSITY of Worcester student has been appointed as a statistician for the prestigious Super League Basketball Women’s Trophy Final which takes place this weekend.
Emma Wickham is studying for her master’s in applied sports performance analysis at the university.
And Emma will be at the Utilita Arena in Birmingham for the final between Oakland Wolves and Caledonia Gladiators on Sunday, January 26.
Emma will meticulously record and analyse the game data.
She will also keep a record of points, assists and rebounds to provide insights for coaches, players, and fans.
Emma achieved a first in her undergraduate degree in sports coaching science also at Worcester.
She has been an active statistician in the British professional basketball leagues for some time.
Emma said: “I took the introduction to statistics course which was put on by the university and Worcester Wolves, and I found it really interesting because I’d been doing a performance analysis module during my undergraduate degree at Worcester.
“After the introduction, I did the advanced statistics award qualification which takes a whole year to complete.
“I was surprised to be asked, but it means the opportunities I’ve had in the past to do stats for people have made me competent enough to do it at this level.
“There’s still a lot to learn and improve on, but I’m really pleased about it.
“Basketball is a huge part of my life. Whether I’m playing, coaching, analysing, or just watching for fun, I love it all.”
Emma was mentored by Barney Blake – British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) administrator at Worcester Students’ Union.
Blake added: “It’s fantastic to see her hard work pay off, she has worked incredibly hard to invest time in her own development.
“She’s a driven individual who has taken personal responsibility for completing her qualifications as a basketball statistician alongside all her other commitments as a student and basketball player.”
Emma is chair of the women’s basketball club and captain of the women’s basketball team at the university.
