Exeter Otters ready for wheelchair basketball top flight
Last updated on .From the section Disability Sport
The coach of the newest team in the top flight of British wheelchair basketball says they will fight until the end in every game in the Premier Division.
Exeter Otters were promoted from Division One South for the first time in their history this year after winning the promotion play-offs.
"We're not going to go into any league thinking it's a lost battle," Jordan Bright told BBC South West.
"We're going to go and fight right to the bitter end in every game."
The Otters have been established for 30 years and are hoping to cause some upsets in the eight-team league.
Perhaps the club's biggest task will be the distances they have to travel - they face games as far afield as Belfast, Sheffield, Oldham and Essex - not easy logistics for a club with no major sponsor.
"The costs will double," Bright added. "There's going to be a lot of nail biting to raise the funds to be able to compete at this level.
"We're going to be constantly looking for funding, we do all our own funding shaking tins in the street and looking fro any donations that we can get."
| Exeter Otters |
|---|
| Began playing league basketball in 1984 |
| Has a 12-strong Premier Division squad |
| Finished second in National League Division One South last season, losing out to London Thunder on points difference |
But fellow coach, Jack Davey, said he thought they could compete against the best.
"We have every intent to give everyone a game, we're not just here to make up the numbers," he added.
"We don't want to go back down, we want to prove we are as good as every other team out there.
"I think we can stay up, I honestly think we could reach top four, maybe fifth. I'm really hopeful for next season," he added.
And the club also hope that they can encourage more people to take up the sport in Devon and bolster their 12-strong Premier League squad.
"We are quite a small club so hopefully this will entice people to come in," Davey said.
"We do need more players because there are some players who are looking at retiring as they are getting older.
"We want younger players and we wan to entice more and more in the South West."
