Presentation of the basketball players of AZS of the Silesian University of Technology
The basketball team of AZS of the Silesian University of Technology, which will make its debut in the second league on October 14th, was presented in the Cechownia in Gliwice.
If the basketball players of our University play in the field with such pomp as their presentation, good results in the second league will come quickly. The team was presented to sponsors, media and invited guests very impressively and in a beautiful setting. The presentation was attended by, among others: Adam Neumann, mayor of Gliwice and prof. dr Eng. Marek Gzik, director of EHTIC.
- Women's basketball has always been present in Gliwice, although a little less recently - said Adam Neumann. - Based on our academic successes, we again have a women's team that will start playing in the senior second league. We will cheer and support them. I wish you the best possible start and hopefully we will meet again next year, but for the inauguration of the first league.
- I am glad that we have a strong team whose T-shirts will have the logo of our University - says prof. dr Eng. Marek Gzik. - It will be our ambassador, promoting the Silesian University of Technology in the country. We keep our fingers crossed and hope that this season will be a success.
The presentation took place at Cechownia and the headquarters of EMT Systems, our team's partner.
- We are very happy to support this type of initiatives - says Piotr Podgórski, vice president of EMT Systems. - The Silesian University of Technology is our mother. President Grzegorz Wszołek worked actively at the University until his habilitation. We willingly and often cooperate with the Silesian University of Technology, not only in the field of sports development. We organize postgraduate studies together, make our infrastructure available to students and cooperate with many researchers. Besides, we are former basketball players. I have known coach Patryk for many years and in one of the conversations he presented to me the idea that his team, after several years of representing the University in academic competitions, was ready to start in the league. They start from the lowest league, and I hope this is the first step in the development of this team.
During this event, dr hab. Eng. arch. Katarzyna Ujma-Wąsowicz, Vice-Dean for Infrastructure and Organization of the Silesian University of Technology, also recalled the history of the women's basketball section at our University, to which she belonged and with which she even won the Polish Academic Championship three times.
The current team is preparing solidly for the league inauguration. Recently, it took part in the strongly contested Tournament for the Rector's Cup of the Academy of Applied Sciences in Racibórz, in which it took third place.
- Our team has changed a bit since the first sparring - says coach Patryk Niczke, an academic teacher from the Sports Centre of the Silesian University of Technology. - When creating this league team, we thought primarily about the highest possible sports level. There are some new girls in the team who were happy to join us. The tournament in Racibórz was already very promising. It is true that we lost to the team from Racibórz, but it is a very strong team. However, after a brave match, we later defeated the team from Katowice. We will face these teams in league competitions.
The girls are currently getting together and getting to know each other. This should pay off in the coming weeks, also in terms of the atmosphere, which is very important. The start of the league is fast approaching, so we will train even harder to prepare as best as possible.
- We are already waiting for our first matches, but we are also a bit stressed about starting in the league - says Wiktoria Borzęcka, who is the team captain. - However, we hope that we will perform well. We understand each other better and better in the field, our form is improving. We are training very hard. At the beginning of the preparations, we didn't even touch the basketballs, but I think that thanks to this we will be able to endure the hardships of the entire season.
We also already know our team's full set of rivals. These are MKS MOS Wrocław, AZS University of Silesia, MUKS Basket Chrobry Głuchołazy, UKS Dwójka Kamienica Polska, ŻKK Olimpia Wodzisław Śląski, MKS Polkowice, ISWJ Wisła and KK AZS Racibórz.
AZS Politechnika Śląska will play its first match on October 14th , and their away opponent will be UKS Dwójka Kamienica Polska, although there is a chance that this match will be played in Gliwice at the OSiR hall at 26 Akademicka Street. The decision is expected to be made in the coming days.
- We will definitely play in our hall on October 21st, and I am already inviting you to this match - announces Patryk Niczke. - However, we will face a strong rival from Wodzisław Śląski.
AZS Team, Silesian University of Technology:
Julia Adamczyk, Wiktoria Borzęcka, Karolina Joniak, Natalia Krzymińska, Olga Lizurej, Amelia Niczke, Zuzanna Niedziółka, Julia Płoszaj, Karolina Podżorska, Milena Raudner, Antonina Szulc, Marta Szydło, Julia Szydłowska, Maja Wieczorek, Martina Kruk, Julia Jargoń. Patryk Niczke - coach, Krystyna Matuszewska - statistician and analyst.
