Last year Olivia Forster had some nice stats with her team Ipswich Basketball. She is a great player, also for the youth national team of Great Britain. Olivia plays with her heart, and that is why you can see her potential and her talent as well! Photo: FIBA Europe

1.  Let’s introduce yourself, who are you?

“I am Olivia Forster, 18 years old and I am a basketball international from Great Britain.”

2.  How did you start playing basketball?

“I was like seven years old, and I went with my family to watch my brother playing basketball. That is how I got into to sport, and it seriously started for my when I was like 12 or 13 years old. I played in my region in England, and now I am still playing.”

3.  What kind of player are you?

“I like to look for the open space, and become a leader on the court. That’s how I like to be, an uplifting help for the team.”

4.  Is there someone who inspires you?

“When I was younger I watched a lot of players. Georgia Jones is one of my inspirations, and played in the WBBL for a long time. She is definitely a legend in Great Britain. When I got older, I love to see players like Holly Winterburn playing.”

5.  How was it for you to play basketball for the first time?

“Well, I think when I was younger, I wasn’t quite the best of the team. I definitely got better when I learned more about the basics and growing in defence. Nevertheless, basketball has always been something I love to do the most.”

Photo: FIBA Europe

6.  You are playing in Division One at Ipswich Basketball. How would you describe your team?

“We have a very young team, with a lot of potential to grow. We have a few experienced women in are team, but I think playing against women is a great way to improve your basketball abilities. The team likes to play fast, and I really think that we are strong enough to compete. We beat the top teams, but also lost some. We will gain a lot of experience and make a lot of progression.”

7.  You had great stats last season at Ipswich. How were you able to develop your style of playing basketball?

“Moving to Ipswich was definitely an important step forwards through my career. My coach Nick Drane is a real believer. Every is about to shoot a threepointer these days, and that’s also what we are practicing on. I got more confidence in my abilities.”

8. Since 2022 you played for the first time at the under 18 team of Great Britain. How does it feel for you to play for the national team?

“Definitely last year I was so relieved. We lost our two years of opportunities to play for the under 16 team. I improved a lot since I became a youth international. I got used to this standard, and I will give everything for Great Britain.”

9. How would you describe this year’s tournament at the under 18 team?

“It’s not that we are very disappointed, but we really wanted to end in the top eight teams. We lost some games with a few points. I didn’t play during the last game due to an ankle injury. The team is very lovely, and I love to play with them!”