A West Cumbrian teenager has set her sights on representing Britain in the Paralympics as she signs up to the world’s first professional women’s wheelchair basketball league.
Emily, 16, of Dearham, got the shock of her life when she was scouted to join East London Phoenix – one of four teams that will make up the inaugural British Wheelchair Basketball Women’s Premier League.
The competition is the first of its kind across the globe and will see Emily rubbing shoulders with some of the world’s greatest players, including her idol Amy Conroy, a two-time Paralympian, who has also signed for Phoenix.
Emily, who suffers from hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP), which causes weakness on the left side of her body, impressed the Phoenix management while playing for Wakefield Whirlwinds in the Women’s League.
She was offered the chance to play for the newly-formed East London Phoenix side, the University of East London’s first-ever sports team franchise.
“I was asked how would I like to play for Phoenix, but what I was thinking was I am going to university and I have to focus on sixth form,” said Emily.
“I was undecided about whether I would take the opportunity at first.”
It was only after a conversation with her family that she knew that the opportunity was too good to turn down.
“The coach came over (to Emily) and said, ‘I have followed your game, I have seen what you are capable of and I need you in my team’,” said mum Rebecca Branthwaite, 36.
“Emily was saying she would wait 12 months but I came back and said, ‘if not now, then when?'”
Although Emily’s potential has always been apparent, the offer still took her by surprise.
“I never thought I would play at such a high level,” she said.
“It has always been my dream but I never thought I would get this far so fast.
“I didn’t know what to say, I was gobsmacked by it all.”
Like father, like daughter
Emily started playing basketball at the age of nine, following in her dad’s footsteps.
“Her dad plays for Lancaster Bulldogs and could see her natural ability for basketball and could soon see her potential on a national level when she competed in the Sainsbury’s School Games at the back end of last year,” said Rebecca.
Her dad also suffers from HSP, but it was not until Emily had been diagnosed that dad Maurice Branthwaite, now 39, was diagnosed with the disorder.
He had earlier been diagnosed with cerebral palsy.
Global audience
With matches being streamed on BBC and YouTube, it is hoped that the competition will help to widen the appeal of the sport across the globe.
“It’s going to have a massive effect on starting to bring more people into the sport and promoting the sport and will make sure everyone knows it’s great to be a part of and that anyone can compete in sport,” said Emily.
“It is crazy, it is something that is history-making.”
Emily has a clear vision of what she wants to achieve in the sport.
“I want to be able to say I did everything I could within the sport and to make people believe ‘I can do it’.
“When people with disabilities think they can’t do anything, that person will look up to me and think, if she can do it, so can I.”
‘It’s always been there’
Emily plays down the impact her disorder has on her life.
“Because it has always been there, it doesn’t affect me in the ways people expect,” she said.
“I find my ways around things. Like if my friends say ‘we want to do this’, I will say, ‘I can’t do that, but I can do it this way’.
“You find your way around things so you can join in.”
Settled in
It has not been hard for Emily to adjust to a professional team and set-up.
“It has been great, everyone has been really nice and helpful,” she said. “If you are worried or bothered about anything you know to you can go to anyone for help.
“Amy Conroy has been helping me in training. I did one-on-one shooting with her and she was really supportive and will help with everything.
“If you do something good, she praises you for it, even in training. Or she will say how I could do something a bit better.”
Now she has signed for East London Phoenix, Emily is now setting her sights on the Paralympic Games in Paris in 2024.
“We are exceptionally proud of her, she has taken it all in her stride while completing her school work for her engineering course at UTC,” said Rebecca.
“She just gets up every day to get the job done. Whenever we see her play we are beeimg with pride. She has been playing with older people for years, she knows her position and she knows her role.”
Fundraising appeal
To help her make the jump to professional sport, Emily is raising money for a new wheelchair which costs £6,500. The new chair will be more tailored to her needs and much lighter, making travelling to games in London much easier.
The appeal has already raised more than £3,700. Donate below.
Watch Emily’s East London Phoenix in action against Cardiff Met Archers in their first match at 7pm tomorrow. You can follow the action on YouTube.
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Fundraiser to support West Cumbrian teen’s basketball dream edges closer
