A University of Worcester student is representing her country against the best young wheelchair basketball players in the world.
Ellan Fraser - credit Worcester Wolves
Ellan Fraser is part of the Great Britain Under 25 wheelchair basketball squad competing at the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation Women’s Under 25 Wheelchair Basketball World Championship in Thailand, which starts today (Tuesday, October 3, running until October 9).
“I'm so excited,” said the 19-year-old, of Warwick, who is in the second year of a Physiotherapy degree. “I've grown up playing basketball with these girls. I've known them all since I started playing. I honestly just can't wait to play basketball with them and enjoy being there. It's an unforgettable experience. The team has so much potential, and I can't wait to see what we can achieve.”
This will be Ellan’s second major international tournament. She went to the delayed senior 2022 World Championships in Dubai in the summer and has been involved in Great Britain camps for the past year. She was also a reserve for Team England for the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Ellan, who has Cerebral Palsy, a neurological condition she has had from birth, plays for two wheelchair basketball teams, the Coventry Crusaders in the National League and the Worcester Wolves women’s wheelchair basketball team, which competes in the British Wheelchair Basketball Women’s Premier League. This will be her third season with the Wolves side. She started playing for the Wolves while in sixth form and chose to study at the University of Worcester due to the team, sports facilities and University’s Sports Scholarship scheme, which provides a range of support for student elite athletes.
Ellan’s first experience of the sport was in 2015 when she took part in a give it a go session at school. The coach invited her to train with his national league team and for eight years she played for the Warwickshire Bears. She now plays for Coventry Crusaders. “I love how aggressive, fast paced, and tactical the game can be,” she said. “It's also one of the most inclusive sports due to the classification system, which I love. My ultimate ambition is definitely playing in a Paralympics for Great Britain, but I would also love to play professionally abroad. The European leagues in places like Spain and Germany are amazing.”
She is supported by the University’s Sports Scholarship programme. “So far I have found combining sport and university hard work, but completely worth it,” she added. “I've learned how to time manage and plan my weeks properly with support from the scholarship scheme and my lecturers have been completely understanding with me having to miss lectures for training. They make sure I have the resources to catch up with the work and always offer to help me if I needed it. The scholarship offered me support with all aspects like nutrition, performance lifestyle, and strength and conditioning, which definitely helped me develop my game during last year.”