Two students at the University of Strathclyde are combining their studies with careers in basketball, through their club’s scholarship programme.
Pharmacy student Alix McIntosh and Kerry McGhee, who is studying Forensic & Analytical Chemistry, are among the first recipients of the new scholarship offered by Caledonia Gladiators, who compete in the women’s Super League Basketball.
The programme enables student players to be full members of the Gladiators team while they undertake their studies.
First year student Alix normally plays at shooting guard but is capable of playing in several roles. She started playing basketball at the age of six with her local club, Ayr Storm, and has been selected to play for the GB national team. After her basketball career, she aims to follow her father by becoming a pharmacist.
Alix said: “I only left school, Prestwick Academy, in the summer, so my new routine has taken a while to get used to, but I just try to take it one day at a time. I train for a couple of hours in the morning, then go to university for the afternoon and return to training again in the evening.
“The Caledonia Gladiators management are very supportive. They want me to succeed in my education, so they will always try to accommodate my university priorities.”
Kerry, who is also a first year student, trains in the position of point guard and has played basketball since her early teens. She gained five As in her final year at Douglas Academy in Milngavie and, in a gap year for the 2023-24 season, she took part in the Gladiators’ high-performance programme at its new arena at Playsport in East Kilbride.
Kerry said: “The dream has always been playing basketball at the highest level. I absolutely love the sport, but I didn’t want to sacrifice getting further education.
“Caledonia Gladiators and the University of Strathclyde have been amazing with me; they’ve been so accommodating to let me fit training and classes into my schedule. Forensics really interest me – and you can specialise in research and crime scene investigations, so that’s something I want to spend more time on over the next four years.”
Gladiators head coach Chantelle Handy said: “We are all really proud of Alix and Kerry, who both work incredibly hard on and off the court to succeed in their studies while following their dreams of becoming a professional basketball player.
“Alix is a fantastic role model for young people across the country, demonstrating the opportunities available and the different pathways to achieving your goal. Kerry’s improvement over the last two seasons has been excellent. She took last year out of school to really prioritise her basketball and the results showed on the court. As a young Scottish talent, we are very invested in her development and growth throughout her career.”
Neil Brown, Director of Sport and Active Health at Strathclyde, said: “It’s a great pleasure to see how much Alix and Kerry are enjoying combining their studies at Strathclyde with playing for Caledonia Gladiators. We’re proud to see how well they’re doing for the club and competing on the European stage.
“In Strathclyde’s own Performance Sports Scholarship Programme, we similarly support student athletes in following dual careers and we know that academic flexibility such as this, where feasible, can help a student to maximise their work in both areas.”
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