The FIMBA GB +40 & +45 Women welcomed one of their largest ever squads, back to their home court in Leicester, as the squads start to take shape for the European Championships in Athens 2026.
Saturday had a new dynamic as Coach Lauder ran the session for the first time. Focussing on communication, teamwork and execution the girls were pushed hard to raise their levels to the standards expected to represent Great Britain. Starting off with some transition shooting drills to get the blood flowing, the squad then worked in pairs on dribbling and defensive drills.
After a quick break, they moved to shooting drills. Working on in-game shots, as well as getting some reps in they quickly found their rhythm and starting hitting with consistency and fluency. It then got interesting, as Coach Lauder brought his rugby experience to training with the introduction of tackle bags. Boxing out, bumping through the lanes and finishing with contact were all put into the drills as was a lot of fun.
The session finished with some very competitive games, as Coach Lauder started to put different personnel together to see the cohesion on court.
I was really excited to take charge of my first session, and to bring something different. As a group, we got a lot out of it and took a big step forward in our preparations. This group never ceases to amaze me with how quickly they click, lock in tot he FIMBA GB mentality and work hard for each other.
Coach Lauder
Sunday saw the group welcome some of the +35 women, who are looking to continue their journey with the FIMBA family in the next age category. With Coach Harrison back in the fold, the squad were again tested and made to work hard as they built on Saturday’s session. 2, 3 and 4 person breaks, working on movement off the ball and getting open were the focus for the first half of the session, before moving the focus to team defence.
Despite a tough session, the games were still played at a good standard and 2026 promises to the most successful yet.
To keep up to date with the team’s journey in 2026, follow gbforties on Instagram and Facebook and if you are interested in partnering the +40 or +45 Women and support their journey in 2026 and beyond, you can find all the relevant details on our partners page.
