Jo Lowry: Sheffield Hatters' rivalry with Nottingham has enriched this season's WBBL

Jo Lowry - Thursday, November 3

The best thing about practice is... learning from experienced players within my team as well as my coach - there is always something that can be improved upon and the best way to improve is through practice.

Practice also improves team cohesion which allows the team to play better along each other as we learn to know each other’s different playing styles - allowing us to play better as a team in every game that we come across.

Through practice, coach provides strategic planning allowing us to learn about the other team and how they play, which gives us a competitive advantage as it allows us to be well prepared for the games ahead.

What I have learnt about being an athlete is... that it requires hard work, dedication and commitment as well as lots of sacrifices. As an athlete you always have to be on the go and always look for ways to get better.

As well as this, you have to learn to balance basketball alongside education/work and also your social life, which can be very difficult at times but once you get into the routine it become habitual.

The best thing about playing for the Hatters is... that everybody gets along which ensures we are able to play as a team and encourage each other at all times to do our best.

Representing the Hatters encourages a sense of pride and commitment as well as achievement - this is through the Hatters having a strong fanbase and also a well-known history founded by and built through Betty Codona.

The league is really tough this season because of the competition... it gets better and better each season due to new players with lots of experience arriving.

Not only are new players arriving into previous teams but the WBBL has also seen two new teams enter the league, adding more depth into the competition.

Every season is always tough with every team that we play, and we should never go into any game expecting to win.

The league is especially tough due to the rivalry that we have built with the Nottingham Wildcats through previous seasons - it brings excitement to the WBBL because everyone loves a rivalry, but it also brings toughness to the league as they are a strong and competitive team.

Naomi Campbell - Tuesday, October 18

Coach has stressed to us the most important thing this week is...Intensity and communication - at both ends of the floor. Being just two weeks into the regular season, the team is far from the well-oiled machine that it will be as the season heats up. This being said, as a team, it is our responsibility to ensure our performance can be as smooth as possible.

Communicating will help to smooth over any cracks due to unfamiliarity of playing together as a unit whilst making sure we are all on the same page both offensively and defensively. Positive communication helps to build trust in both new and old teammates and it is one of the most essential, yet underrated skills in basketball. Coach Ellis has repeated this message throughout practice and also in games.

She knows better than anyone how much some of us can talk, so it’s about using this to benefit the team on court.

Similarly, whilst mistakes will inevitably be made on court, one thing that everyone on the team is capable of is hard work. As a team, we need to be relentless at both ends of the floor. The ultimate goal needs to be that no team can match us in intensity. Although Coach will be the first to tell you that being intense shouldn’t be at the expense of composure! In the game last weekend, Hatters showed that when we play intense, it is hard for teams to match us.

The worst thing about practice is...For me the worst thing about practice is the fact that it follows on from a long day at work. I love basketball and I love the Hatters, but after some tough days at work, it takes a lot of mental toughness to go and physically exert myself. Although you can guarantee I’ll always feel better afterwards!

What I have learned about being an athlete is...There will always be highs and lows, but you have to focus on what you can control and then be sure to spend as long enjoy celebrating the highs as you do reflecting on the lows.

The best thing about playing for the Hatters is...I have made friends and family for life. Wearing a Hatters jersey for the past 13 years has seen me win countless titles, for various teams. I have played up and down the country, in numerous arenas, but above all else I am grateful for the people I have met along the way. It speaks volumes when parents of junior players, fans of the club, ex coaches and volunteers continue to show me love and support both on and off the court even after years gone by. I am proud to be a Hatter and thankful to those people who keep the club in existence, allowing me to play the game I love in my home city!

The Hatters will be hoping to put last weekend’s 87-85 loss at Nottingham Wildcats behind them when they travel to Caledonia Pride on Sunday.

Helen Naylor - October 12

Westfield Health Sheffield Hatters forward and Great Britain international Helen Naylor, who is expected to return from injury soon, has joined The Yorkshire Post’s team of sports bloggers. Here she reflects on her team’s 85-58 victory against Oaklands Wolves on the opening weekend of the Women’s British Basketball League season.

We need to brighten up at tip off... It was a slow start to the game for us with too many easy baskets for Oaklands - that has to be something we work on in training this week.

Georgia Gayle is going to be a star... Georgia got us going with a few threes, which really sparked our offence. She’s already the reigning Young Player of the Year and will be so important for us this season.

Our imports are already showing their worth... Brittany Winborne, who only arrived from America a few days before the game gave us great energy of the bench and grabbed some big rebounds. We have some great home grown talent but bringing in people like Brittany is a real boost.

Mistakes, mistakes, mistakes... There were too many unforced errors before half time which allowed Oaklands to get back into the game. Turnovers killed us! We have to look after the ball better and not allow our opponents simple points.

It took us until late to hit our stride... the third quarter was better but in the fourth period we really turned on the style. The rust was well and truly shaken off by the end.

Hatters are all about team basketball... in the fourth quarter we played our best team ball. When we play like that we’re a tough team to get the better of. The ball moves fast, we find the open player and we’re confident they’ll knock down the shot.

Using our speed... grabbing defensive rebounds and getting out on a fast break is the best way to get easy baskets. The points come thick and fast when you perfect that. When we did that against Oaklands they couldn’t live with us.

What a debut... Brittany may be new to the WBBL but a big double-double of 22 points and 18 rebounds shows what a presence she’ll be this season for us. I can’t wait to see what she’s like when she gets used to the league and refereeing style.

Back to work... there’s lots to improve this week but there was also a lot that was pleasing from our first league game. We’re always looking to get better, though so it will be a tough week in practice.

Sheffield Hatters are in action away at Nottingham Wildcats on Saturday evening (6pm tip-off).