An under 18 national level basketball player opens up about the challenges in the sport and the dedication and resilience needed to reach the highest level.
Calum Hegarty was drawn towards Basketball through the NBA and the BBL at 13. His friend Ben Rees inspired Calum to pick up the sport himself after watching Ben play in games. Ben Rees played for Cheshire Phoenix, where Calum would later play himself, along with many young athletes trying to make their way to the highest level in basketball.
Basketball is growing in popularity every day in the Greater Manchester region, being supported by increased television coverage, and courts being installed making the sport easily accessible to audiences across the county. This has caused an influx of young talented athletes pursuing a career in the industry. Breaking into national level standards is highly competitive with only a few reaching that point, and even fewer gaining a pro contract at the end of it.
Calum was unfortunate not to get a pro contract due to injuries setting him back, and he still feels as though he is fighting to get back to where he once was.
“I fractured my ankle in my last season for Cheshire Phoenix, and it set me back massively” Calum said.
Calum explains how that set him back emotionally and physically, sitting on the side lines watching his teammates playing in important games such as cup finals while all he could do was nurse himself back to fitness.
“Every night I was sleeping with my leg raised up, an ice pack on my ankle, at one point I was in a wheelchair and crutches”
Calum was forced to step away from the sport at a crucial moment in his career. This injury not only affected him physically but also mentally, flipping his world upside down. Calum believes that one day he can return to his previous level, keeping that resilience that he says is so important in the sport of basketball.
Reaching this level also comes with rigorous training sessions, Calum explains that he trained 4 times a week, balancing that alongside work, education and important games competing against others at such a high standard.
“Training four times a week, analysts coming in, sitting down meetings. A lot of pressure” Calum said.
He added that “The sessions were quite intense, and you’ve obviously got travelling up and down the country”
Calum Hegarty’s journey through youth basketball highlights the realities of competing at a high level. Many will endure the same hardships as Calum when playing a professional sport and many have before him in the sport. Injuries can play a major role in the development of a a player. Despite this, opportunities still remain for athletes willing to push through the setbacks.
Interview link: https://youtu.be/HeudQELhEEw