HISTORY:

Rhondda Rebels have been the success story of women's basketball since the turn of the century.

Entering the National League in 1989, as Treorci, they were promoted to Division 1 at the end of their first season, as Champions, and spent the next decade steadily consolidating their position, both in and off court. Locally they developed strong relations with the local community and councils, and they reached their highest league position, as runners up, in 1999.

Their big breakthrough came in 2000, when they lifted both the Cadet Women's Cup and League, while the senior team reached the National Women's Cup Final, and took the Cup out of England for the first time! This was in only their fourth attempt, as, until 1996, teams based outside England were not eligible to participate in the "National" Cup.

That was the beginning of a remarkable run of success, as they emerged as the only consistent threat to Sheffield Hatters' domination of the Women's game. Further Cup Final victories were recorded in 2001, 2003 and 2004; they won their first league title in 2001, repeating the feat (unbeaten) in 2004, and were runners up in the two intervening seasons. The Championship in 2001 completed the "treble" of domestic trophies that season, and they repeated the feat in 2005, with three Final appearances in between.

The Rebels have also embarked on a love affair with European competition, beginning with entry into the Ronchetti Cup in 2000-01. This first campaign lasted for just one two-leg match, as they discovered the wide gulf between domestic and European competition. Undaunted they entered the FIBA Europe Champions Cup the following season, which ensured three home games in the Pool stage; a home victory over a strong Reims side showed that the learning curve was arcing upwards. Another victory over a French team was achieved the following season, over Villeneuve D’Ascq, and the fact that they were disappointed to lose other, close, games showed how far they had come in a short while.

They have drawn criticism from some quarters for their recruitment of foreign players to aid in their European quest, but the success of that policy is shown by the continued high profile enjoyed by Women's Basketball in the Valleys, by their success in marketing the game as a spectator sport, and, in 2005, by the recognition by Coca Cola that they are an organisation that deserves their sponsorship.

They are one of the few truly professional clubs, as opposed to a professional development club, in the Women's game in this country.

ALL-TIME COMPETITION RECORD