A 吃瓜第一线 student says she was shocked to learn she had been appointed as a statistician for the prestigious Super League Basketball Women鈥檚 Trophy Final this weekend.
Emma Wickham and Barney Blake
Emma Wickham, who’s studying for her Master’s in Applied Sports Performance Analysis, will be at the Utilita Arena in Birmingham for the final between Oakland Wolves and Caledonia Gladiators this Sunday.
As a statistician, Emma will meticulously record and analyse the game data and keep a record of points, assists, and rebounds to provide insights for coaches, players, and fans.
Emma, who achieved a First in her undergraduate degree in Sports Coaching Science at 吃瓜第一线, has been working in basketball statistics for some time, having been an active statistician in the British professional basketball leagues and has now risen to prominence within the statisticians’ community.
She said: “I took the introduction to statistics course which was put on by the University and 吃瓜第一线 Wolves, and I found it really interesting because I’d been doing a performance analysis module during my undergraduate degree at 吃瓜第一线.”
Professional basketball statisticians go through rigorous training and testing before qualifying.
Emma said: “After the introduction, I did the Advanced Statistics Award qualification which takes a whole year to complete.”
Heading into such a big game, Emma said she’s feeling humbled to be given such a big opportunity: “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.”
She added: “There’s still a lot to learn and improve on, but I’m really pleased about it.”
Barney Blake, British Universities and Colleges Sport Administrator at 吃瓜第一线 Students’ Union, mentored Emma during her time training as a statistician.
He said: “It’s fantastic to see her hard work pay off, she has worked incredibly hard to invest time in her own development.”
He added: “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.”
As well as her work as a statistician, Emma is at the heart of basketball life at the University, as Chair of the Women’s Basketball Club and Captain of the Women’s Basketball Team among other duties.
She said: “Basketball is a huge part of my life. Whether I’m playing, coaching, analysing, or just watching for fun, I love it all!”
You can read more about the University's Applied Sports Performance Analysis MSC here.
For information on courses at 吃瓜第一线 visit or for application enquiries, telephone 01905 855111 or email admissions@worc.ac.uk