Six Paralympian's are amongst the GB Women's Wheelchair Basketball squad named to compete in the FSB Women’s European Wheelchair Basketball Championships held at Stoke Mandeville this August.

The tournament will take place between Thursday, August 27 and Sunday, August 30, and the GB team, a mixture of youth and experience, will be looking to avenge losing the bronze medal to China in the BT Paralympic World Cup in Manchester last May and bring on the development of a number of the younger players.

Head Coach, Garry Peel, said looking ahead to the tournament: “A new squad of players are being introduced to this year Europeans, as development will be the focus in 2009/10. Five of the squad selected will be under the age of 20 and gaining experience is our main goal. Only six players from Beijing have been selected for the 2009 Europeans.

“Even though we have a new young team, the GB Women’s team are confident that they will do well at this year’s Europeans and are looking forward to competing against the best teams in Europe.”

GB's entry into the tournament was plunged into serious doubt when its sport's funding was cut earlier this year. Luckily the Federation of Small Businesses pledged to back the team and are now official supporters of this year’s European Championships. 

The event will see seven women’s teams compete for the title of European Champions. GB have been drawn in Pool 2 alongside the Netherlands, Turkey and Italy whilst in Pool 1 France take on Germany and Spain.

Great Britain Women’s Wheelchair Basketball Squad for the FSB Women’s European Championships 2009: Judith Hamer (Exeter Otters, Exeter), Caroline Matthews (Cardiff Celts, Landaff North),  Helen Turner (Aspire Force, Chobham), Julia Smith (Birmingham Black Cats, Birmingham), Madeline Thompson (Sheffield Steelers, Castleton), Clare Strange (MK Aces, High Wycombe), Caroline Maclean (Essex Outlaws, Haverhill), Felicity Mitchell (Wolverhampton Rhinos, Telford), Helen Freeman (Aspire Force, Watford), Frances Ray (Wolverhampton Rhinos, Wolverhampton), Louise Sugden (Aspire Force, Wokingham), Laurie Williams (Manchester Mavericks, Manchester) 

* (League club, hometown)