Tejonah-Sharon McKay credits academy progression for basketball improvements

By Oli Dickson Jefford, Sportsbeat

Hounslow basketball star Tejonah-Sharon McKay’s outlook has been transformed after taking a huge leap forward in her burgeoning career.

McKay, 17, has proven herself to be a dab hand on court, excelling during periods at junior clubs London Pulse and Hounslow Hawks in her early playing days.

The teenager now finds herself training with Reading Rockets in partnership with the John Madejski Academy, and has taken valuable lessons in how to manage life as a young athlete.

“My main focus was to get into an academy,” said McKay, who is supported by a partnership between SportsAid and Get Living.

“The National League training I had at my local club, I feel like it needed to be up in terms of intensity. I just needed to go somewhere in a team where the training would be harder,

“My goal was to improve my basketball IQ as well, because I had the skill to be a good basketball player but the IQ was not there. Coming to an academy would help me with that.

“Ultimately I decided to come to Reading, and since I’ve come here, this has shaped me into the young adult I am today. It hasn’t just taught me about basketball, it’s taught me about balancing basketball with other factors that matter like work, school and looking after myself. All of that has helped me mature mentally, more than time with my national team has helped.

“The experiences here have taught me not only how to work, but how to have down time as well. My first year taught me that if you don’t have down time you’re going to burn out and not be able to push yourself mentally, emotionally and physically. That’s what I’m now working on.”

SportsAid Week 2023 is here, with the annual initiative, which was launched in 2016, taking place from Monday 6 March to Sunday 12 March.

This year’s theme focuses on ‘Accessibility and Inclusion’ as the charity shines a spotlight on the country’s most talented young athletes and celebrates the incredible work being undertaken by its partners to support the future of British sport.

The theme of ‘Accessibility and Inclusion’ is an opportunity for the charity’s partners to highlight their own work in this area during SportsAid Week, with SportsAid athletes recently revealing that accessibility and the cost of sport are the issues they care most passionately about.

It will also open up discussions on the progress being made, as well as the challenges faced, in the sports sector.

And McKay, who benefits from financial support from SportsAid and commercial partner Get Living, believes finance is an issue for many looking to break into sport.

“I think it’s important that everyone has the chance to develop in their sport. Financial barriers should not be a reason for someone not to be able to compete and do what they love.

“Sport isn’t just a thing where you can go and play and have fun, all sports will also open up doors. To have someone who isn’t allowed to enjoy their sport and take part because of financial barriers they may have, it’s not okay.

“There’s a lot of people out there who are talented and if you’re not able to afford equipment or travel, that could close a lot of opportunities that are out there for you.

“It’s important to have everyone included in what’s going on. I don’t think barriers should be a reason for people not feeling included.”

SportsAid Week 2023 takes place from Monday 6 March to Sunday 12 March! Join us for a dedicated week of fun and awareness-raising based around theme of accessibility and inclusion. Please visit www.sportsaid.org.uk