Albany Academy's girls basketball team make school history by reaching the finals of the Lancashire Schools Basketball competition

Albany Academy in Chorley is celebrating a school's sporting first, as it's under 16 girls basketball team has reached the finals of the Lancashire Schools Basketball 2021-22 season.

The team is made up of a mix of year 10 and year 11 students and this is the first time a team form Albany Academy has reached this level of the competition.

To date the team have beaten Worden, Garston and Clitheroe Grammar's teams and will be playing against St Wilfred's in the finals after half term.

Headteacher, Peter Mayland said: "As a small school, we don't have that much sporting success, we always participate and always punch above our weight but to actually get to a final is a fairly rare occurrence for us so it's really great and all the students and staff are thrilled!

"They've worked very very hard indeed, and perseverance is something we really try and instill in the students, and they've done just that. They've been training this year every week since September, prior to that the Covid situation and lockdowns meant they couldn't train together but since September they have been again.

"They've abeen really well coached by one of our teachers, Mrs Milburn, but we've also brought in external coaches, so the head coach for Chorley Mammoth's basketball team as well has been coaching them and really helping them with their drills and practice for example."

The U16 Girls’ Team has been playing together since they started in year 7 and is the first girls basketball team to have gone all the way through the school.

It is made up of Chloe Robinson, Georgia Moss, Kiera Booth, Ellanor Purtill, Katie Duxbury, Martha Browne, Annie Millington, Marcie Moran, Emily Lee, Charlotte Wilkinson, Cloe Carlin, Ruby Fitter and Jessica Nuttall.

Chloe Robinson said: "I'm extremely proud of the team and all the effort we have put in. We never expected to get his far into the competition. We have all been playing basketball as a team since Year 7 and it's amazing to see how far we've come - It's a massive achievement for us.''

Another student, Ellanor Purtill added: ''I am very proud of all of the team, and their hard work. And I'm especially grateful for all the work of our coach Chris, and P.E teacher Mrs Milburn who have helped us develop massively from where we started. It feels amazing for all of our hard work as a team to pay off - hopefully our success continues into the final."