The Rise of Women’s Basketball in Scotland

In recent years, women’s basketball in Scotland has been on an upward trajectory, with more young females than ever before aiming to reach the pinnacle of the sport. A testament to this growth can be witnessed in the increasing numbers of female athletes applying to become a part of basketballscotland’s Regional Academy programme.

In the past three years, there has been a remarkable surge in female enrolment at the Regional Academy, with a 22.6% increase in females* applying to be a part of the programme in the 2023/24 season compared to the 2021/22 season.

This increase in female applications underscores the growing enthusiasm for women’s basketball in Scotland. Historically, like in many other countries, basketball in Scotland has been predominantly male-dominated. However, recent years have witnessed a significant increase in the number of female athletes aspiring to proudly don the Scotland jersey. This is a huge testament to the work clubs are doing to engage girls in basketball as well as the increasing profile of the female game through the growth of Caledonia Gladiators.

Going forward basketballscotland will continue to commit to creating a more inclusive and welcoming environment for female athletes, encouraging them to pursue their basketball dreams and providing them with opportunities to showcase their skills.

“It is fantastic to see the number of girls wanting to be part of the Regional Academy growing so significantly over the past three years.” commented basketballscotland’s Head of Basketball, Barry Lang. “There is a collective desire from players coming to Regional Academy to challenge themselves to improve in a new environment. We hope that the increase in female players stepping into this space results in a continued growth of the game and belief in girls from a young age that they can play at the highest level. The work clubs are doing to engage and excite girls in basketball is fundamental to this, as is the increase in Scottish female role models in performance spaces in recent years.”