A woman who left rural Perthshire to play basketball in the States in front of thousands of fans says she wants to have a professional career in the sport.
Ella Doherty, 20, had a quiet childhood in the village of Powmill in Kinross-shire.
She discovered a love of basketball at a young age and played for her local club in Kinross.
Despite the team being male-dominated, it did not stop her from becoming a rising star in the sport.
Now she is in America, where she plays in front of crowds bigger than those at many football matches in Scotland.
Perthshire player discovered love of basketball aged 10
Ella, who also played for Perth Phoenix Basketball Club, told The Courier: “I discovered my love for basketball at the age of 10.
“I had started playing for a local club in Kinross which was mostly made up of boys.
“From then, I moved on to play for Perth Phoenix and we formed one of the first girls’ teams at the club.
“These were some of my favourite years and memories I made playing basketball.
“My coach, Russel Kesson, taught me some of the most important fundamentals when it came to basketball that I am still so grateful for today.
“We had many consecutive successful years as a team at Perth Phoenix, which I will always cherish.
“All of this combined helped my love for basketball grow.”
In 2019, Ella was a finalist in Perth and Kinross Young Female Sports Personality of the Year.
She went on to compete as part of Great Britain’s Under-16 National Team and was scouted by an American side.
That led to her moving more than 3,000 miles to Ohio to pursue her dream.
Ella now competes for Toledo Rockets while studying business.
Ella Doherty scouted for American university basketball team
She said: “While playing for the Great Britain Under-16 National Team in Bulgaria, I was scouted and later contacted by my current coach, who had come to the tournament to find future players for her team.
“We stayed in contact and then in the summer of 2020, I committed to the University of Toledo.
“There is a bigger emphasis on sport here – it’s so much bigger than it is in Scotland.
“On average, we compete in front of around 4,000 fans and we’re in the top 30 in the country for attendance for women’s basketball.
“It’s a great atmosphere and it’s just great knowing that so many people are there to support women’s sport.”
Ella says while there is a big difference between life in Powmill and Ohio, her love for the sport has helped her settle in.
She said: “It was an easy transition. I’ve been travelling a lot with basketball since I was young.
“It’s something I’ve always wanted to do. It’s talked about a lot but not a lot of people are given the opportunity.
“It really excited me as it’s a different experience – so I jumped on it.
‘Basketball is what I want to do’
“I do miss home a lot, especially the food. I think I do miss the quieter lifestyle. But I know my family are proud of me.
“As long as I’m happy, they’re happy – they’re very supportive.
“I’m loving everything about my experience. It’s a challenge but I love that.”
She added: “I hope to continue playing basketball professionally after my degree, whether that be back home or in Europe.
“Basketball is what I want to do.”
Ella is not the only basketball star from Perthshire – in 2022, Perth man Chris Dodds revealed how he was living the dream as a referee.
Conversation