FEW Horsham basketballers have had a junior career as successful as Rebecca McIntyre.
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She represented Horsham basketball throughout her junior days and played plenty of state-level basketball. She also helped Vic Country to a national championship.
“The highlight (of my junior career) would be when I played in the under-18 nationals and we actually won the championships. That was a pretty exciting time to be in that team,” McIntyre said.
Basketball was McIntyre’s life as a junior, until she turned 18 and decided to take a break.
“I did have a couple of options to play in the WNBL,” she said.
“I did understand that if I was to sacrifice myself to a future in that career, I would have had minimal court time, so I chose to stay in Horsham.”
McIntyre has only just made her return to the Horsham Lady Hornets, after first representing the senior side when she was 15.
She said the comeback had not always been easy.
“It’s taken me a little bit to get my body and fitness up to be able to train twice a week and play,” she said.
The younger girls in the team also like to remind her of the age gap.
“There’s definitely a lot of regular reminding of how old I am, but that’s okay,” McIntyre said.
“We have a really good bunch of girls with the Lady Hornets. They would joke and laugh at the fact that I can’t walk very much after games.”
McIntyre has known some of the girls in the team, such as Georgia and Ally Hiscock, since they were born.
“The Hiscock girls I’ve known their whole life – they were actually the flower girls at my wedding when they were three,” she said.
“To be out on the basketball court now with them it makes me really happy. It’s nice I can still come out and help the team.”
McIntyre said legendary coach Owen Hughan had been a driving force in her success in the sport.
“I am totally grateful to Owen for him to be able to shape my basketball,” she said.
“He was the one who really wanted to help us succeed. We are so lucky to have someone in Horsham of that talent.
“At his age he doesn’t have to still be training people five or six days a week. Horsham has had an absolute gem there.”
The Lady Hornets have had a positive year so far and McIntyre is looking forward to the rest of the season.
“We have a great mix of older experience and also some youth (in the team),” she said.
“We are excited for finals and hopefully we can represent Horsham well and bring home that championship.”