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5 January 2026  4 min read

Building a stronger future for girls’ basketball in Sussex

This season, the Sussex Basketball Association (SBA) launched a pilot girls’ 3x3 tournament, with Holden being helped by local coach, Oli Wheatley, with a simple aim - to set the stage for girls to play competitive basketball in a supportive, accessible environment.

“We wanted to give girls more of a chance to play. There weren’t many opportunities previously, so I hope events like this give them more opportunities moving forward,” said Holden.

“There are loads of young girls and women here in Sussex who want to play basketball and we want to showcase their talent.”

The response exceeded expectations, with 55 girls taking part, representing four of the county's clubs.

That early success highlighted both the enthusiasm for the game and a clear challenge - most clubs currently have only two to four girls per age group, making traditional five-a-side leagues difficult to sustain.

“We felt that going down the fun and exciting route of 3x3 would be a good starting point,” added Holden.

“There have been women’s teams in Sussex that have started, but sadly, they’ve just as quickly stopped playing, with player numbers the main reason. So, 3x3 was a good starting point for a pilot.”

Expanding the 3x3 model

The solution for Holden, helped by Wheatley, and the SBA is collaboration - rather than leaving clubs isolated, they plan to expand the 3x3 model to include all clubs across the county.

Shorter games, smaller teams and flexible formats mean girls get more touches of the ball, more confidence and more fun.

For families, it means local, affordable competition and a clearer reason for their daughters to stay in the sport.

This work also fits into a bigger, long-term vision.

The goal is to create regular girls’ leagues across Sussex, Kent, and Surrey, feeding into tri-county tournaments and, ultimately, England camp selections. This mirrors the existing boys’ pathway, which has produced national team players.

For the girls who are eager to play, it creates something that has been missing for too long - a visible route from grassroots basketball to regional and national opportunities.

“There are fantastic girls-only leagues around the country, and I want there to be opportunities for that in Sussex,” said Holden. “However, I would love to have a tri-counties event with our neighbours around the south and make it a regular occurrence.”

Movement Fund support

Funding has been a key piece of the puzzle. Last season, the SBA, with Basketball England's support, secured support from the Sport England Movement Fund to boost junior development.

And momentum is also building regionally.

Holden has been appointed as Women’s and Girls Officer for South East Basketball, strengthening leadership and coordination across the area, something she is looking forward to building up.

“Kids love playing basketball, but there are minimal spaces for them to play,” said Holden. “However, we have good partnerships with schools and various clubs around Sussex, from Crawley to Horsham and going east to Brighton.”

The primary focus for Holden is school partnerships, with club coaches working directly with schools to introduce basketball and guide interested girls into local clubs. This school-to-club link is vital for creating a steady pipeline from first experience to competitive play.

Looking ahead, the next phase includes rolling out 3x3 tournaments across Sussex, formalising a home-and-away league structure, and working closely with established women’s teams such as Sussex Storm and Brighton Cougars.

This will help ensure girls see a future in the game beyond school and university. For the girls who want to play basketball and their families, it’s an exciting time - one where opportunity, pathway, and community are finally coming together.

Sussex Basketball Association

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Words: John Hobbs