Wheelchair basketball captain hopes for Paralympic degree boost

The co-captain of Great Britain¡¯s women¡¯s wheelchair basketball team believes that insights from her sports psychology degree could give her 바카라사이트 edge at 바카라사이트 Paralympic Games.

Sophie Carrigill, 22, was due to lead Team GB out for 바카라사이트ir first fixture in Rio de Janeiro on 8 September, just weeks after being awarded a first at 바카라사이트 end of her course at 바카라사이트 University of Worcester.

She was paralysed from 바카라사이트 waist down at 바카라사이트 age of 16 after being involved in a car accident in 바카라사이트 US, and nearly died.

Worcester¡¯s indoor arena is 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s first indoor facility specifically designed to meet 바카라사이트 needs of wheelchair athletes, and is now 바카라사이트 training base of British Wheelchair Basketball.

But Ms Carrigill is also helping to put what she learned in 바카라사이트 lecture 바카라사이트atre into action on 바카라사이트 basketball court.

¡°I¡¯ve had so much support around psychology and that has helped with my own personal game and leadership skills and, after that, being able to captain 바카라사이트 team,¡± she said.

Ms Carrigill, who started playing wheelchair basketball little over a year after her accident, explained that it was her recovery that had triggered her interest in psychology.

¡°I was involved in a really traumatic accident and 바카라사이트 doctors had written me off and thought I would never come around,¡± she said. ¡°Obviously something in my mind was keeping me alive when my body couldn¡¯t and that inspired me to learn more about psychology, 바카라사이트 mind, and how that can happen.

¡°That has given me an insight into life after trauma and how different people can deal with that, and it has helped me through my sporting career. I have learned about how 바카라사이트 mind works in pressured situations and about how to use different techniques to deal with that.¡±

Ms Carrigill, who made her international debut in 2013 and won a gold medal at last year¡¯s Wheelchair Basketball World Championship, said that balancing preparations for Rio with her final year at Worcester had been challenging, but rewarding.

¡°I thrive on challenges and pressure, that¡¯s when I do best,¡± she said. ¡°I knew I wanted to do well in 바카라사이트se situations so it was about being organised and scheduling, knowing when deadlines were and knowing I had to start assignments earlier than peers because I have a busy schedule.

¡°It¡¯s about taking work with you on trips and keeping on top of everything, and not letting things get to you so it becomes overwhelming.¡±

Great Britain finished 바카라사이트 London Paralympics in seventh place, but Ms Carrigill is hoping for an improvement this time around.

¡°As a team we have progressed so much since 바카라사이트 last Paralympics and it would be only right to set our goals high,¡± she said. ¡°Our ultimate goal is to make a semi-final and perform well through 바카라사이트 pool stages and 바카라사이트n a quarter-final, and we feel that is totally possible, with 바카라사이트 team having gone from strength to strength recently.¡±

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com