Getting to know.. Charlotte McDonnell

In our 'Getting to know...' series, we find out more about some of our sporting stars! Meet Charlotte McDonnell, Basketball Secretary and Media Arts student.  

How did you get into basketball?

As a girl going to school in the UK the main sport on offer was netball. While I enjoyed playing I was never really passionate about it. When I was around 16 years old we were finally offered the chance to play basketball for one school term and I fell in love with it immediately! The fast pace and teamwork of the game were more exciting than any other sport I had ever tried. However, it wasn’t until I joined Royal Holloway that I really started playing seriously and now I couldn’t imagine my life without it.

What has basketball been like at the College?

Joining the basketball team has completely enhanced my university experience! Not only do I spend a lot of my time on the basketball court at training sessions and games but also the members of basketball club are my best friends and family at university. Basketball is a sport that relies heavily on teamwork and therefore the bond that grows between our players is extremely strong. It is also the best way to blow off some steam and get away from the stresses of uni work and exams for a few hours in the day.

What are your aspirations for the team this year?

Our Men’s team have an awesome chance at winning their BUCS league and getting promoted at the end of the season whilst our Women’s team is looking to maintain a top spot in Division 1A. Despite being just a couple of weeks into training I already have great faith in the motivation, the talent and the team spirit this year to bring us home a lot of wins!

What does your weekly Basketball routine look like? i.e. training, matches etc

As well as training twice a week, both our Men’s and Women’s teams compete in BUCS and LUSL and so we play games every Wednesday and Saturday or Sunday. We also work alongside Active Lifestyle and Sport to deliver the Active basketball programme, which offers two drop in sessions a week and a 3v3 social league.

Basketball Achievements