FORMER WESMEN BASKETBALL STAR SALLY KAZNICA CHOSEN TO REPRESENT GREAT BRITAIN IN UPCOMING EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS

Thursday, August 31, 2006 - Former Winnipeg Wesmen and England basketball player Sally Kaznica, who recently played a major role in securing a Commonwealth Games Bronze medal for England, has now been selected for the Great Britain squad to play in the forthcoming European Championships.

The reason for the Great Britain squad is in preparation for the 2012 Olympics where we have to compete under that banner as is the case for all Olympic sports involving our home countries.

The selection trials were held last weekend in Sheffield at the English Institute of Sport where Sally was one of some 35 invited players from England, Wales, Scotland and N. Ireland. Following four days of intense training and a friendly game against Norway, which they comfortably won, the squad was finally announced and Sally was both pleased and proud to be one of the final selections. Sally still looks back on her time in Canada with very fond memories and still wears her Wesmen kit whenever possible

This was also another proud moment for her parents who live in Felixstowe as well as everybody connected with Sally including Ipswich Basketball Club where spent much of her developmental years.

Sally has now gained representative honours at every level from leading her former school, Holbrook High, to become National Champions, to Club, Regional and National Championship winners, and subsequently to England Junior and Senior International Caps.

The Great Britain squad now embark on a month of serious activity as they have to train for and play four International as part of the European Championship qualifiers. They have two tough away games in Estonia and Bosnia & Herzegovina and home games to Luxembourg in Cardiff and Portugal in Nottingham on September 23rd. The reverse ties wil l be played next year.

Sally has signed a new contract to play basketball for the Coca-Cola Rhondda Rebels again this coming season. They are undoubtedly the top Women's basketball team in Great Britain having won the league and cup ‘Double’ last season and remained undefeated in the league. As champions they will be competing in the Women’s European Cup and have pool matches in France, Germany and Italy.

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Courtesy Ipswich Basketball Club