University of Worcester student to play key role at Super League final

Emma Wickham, who is studying for her master’s in applied sports performance analysis, will serve as a statistician at the game this weekend.

The final, between Oakland Wolves and Caledonia Gladiators, will take place at the Utilita Arena in Birmingham on Sunday.

Miss Wickham will be responsible for recording and analysing game data, including points, assists, and rebounds, to provide insights for coaches, players, and fans.

The student, who achieved a first in her undergraduate degree in sports coaching science at the university, has been an active statistician in British professional basketball leagues.

She said: "I took the introduction to statistics course which was put on by the university and Worcester Wolves, and I found it really interesting because I’d been doing a performance analysis module during my undergraduate degree at Worcester."

Professional basketball statisticians undergo rigorous training and testing before qualifying.

Miss Wickham said: "After the introduction, I did the Advanced Statistics Award qualification which takes a whole year to complete."

Heading into the final, she said she feels "humbled" by the opportunity.

Barney Blake, British Universities and Colleges Sport administrator at Worcester Students’ Union, mentored Miss Wickham during her 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."

As well as her work as a statistician, Ms Wickham is chair of the women’s basketball club and captain of the women’s basketball team at the university.