WORCESTER WOLVES have signed Fran Ray ahead of this weekend’s away game against Cardiff Met Archers in the British Wheelchair Basketball Women’s Premier League.
Ray becomes the club’s 10th signing of the season and is a classification 2.5 athlete having started playing at the age of nine after her school introduced her to the sport.
By the age of 12, Ray was playing for Wolverhampton Rhinos in the Super League division and, at the age of 14, she first represented Great Britain at the GB Juniors Tournament in 2008.
Ray was then selected to represent the national team at the 2009 Paralympic World Cup and was selected for Great Britain in the 2009 and 2011 European Junior Championships and the 2010 World Junior Championships in Birmingham.
Following a break from the sport to start a family, Ray returned to the court in 2015 when she was selected for Great Britain at the U25s World Championships in China, where the team won a Gold medal.
On signing for the Worcester Wolves, Ray said: “I am delighted to be joining the Worcester Wolves. There is, without doubt, a great group of new and upcoming players here and it’s exciting to have the opportunity to play alongside them and help them to grow as individuals on and off the court.
“As well as to develop as a team under the guidance of a strong coach who has a great in-depth knowledge of the game. I feel that this team has a lot to give and I’m excited to be going on that journey with them.”
Worcester Wolves Head Coach Simon Fisher said: “I have been working on developing additional depth for the squad and I am pleased to secure Fran to join the team. Her game knowledge and experience will aid our development in the short and medium terms.
“Fran has played for GB U25 and been within GB Senior squads, which is a testament to the performance levels she has achieved. I look forward to helping her to achieve her goals and be the best she can be, which will strengthen the overall team.”
As well as being a player, Fran is also a coach and has been at the helm of the Leicester Cobras since 2015.
Ray brings a wealth of experience, both on and off the court, to the Wolves as well as great depth and rotation options to the team.
And the League will be the first of its kind for women’s wheelchair basketball in the world, and the very first professional para-sport league in the UK.
The University of Worcester will be one of four High-Performance Partnerships, which also include Cardiff Metropolitan University, Loughborough University and the University of East London, that will each be home to a Women’s Premier League team.
The club will be making further announcements over the coming weeks. Keep up to date with all things Worcester Wolves across social media channels and the website. For more information about the new Women’s Premier League, visit www.britishwheelchairbasketball.co.uk/womens-premier-league/