After a dominant Big V championship division season, Wyndham’s Amanda Paschal has been awarded the leagues most valuable player.
Paschal was far and away the competition’s best player, leading the league in average points per game (28.5) and assists (6.7), and was second in rebounds per game (11.5).
In Paschal’s first season in the league, last year, she got very close to winning the award, which has made the recognition this season even sweeter.
“I was pretty excited, I worked super hard this year,” she said.
“For the most part I was trying to improve on some things that I didn’t do in my first season.
“I was really determined to go into the next season, to give it my everything, put my head down, worked hard on trying to get fit and just try to improve.
“I went into the season just wanting to be the best player and the best person I can be, especially being a leader to my team, that was my goal.”
The season wasn’t all smooth sailing for Wyndham and Paschal with the side going through the season undefeated and stumbling over the last hurdle, losing in the grand final to Bulleen by five points.
The group had won last year’s championship.
“That was pretty rough for us,” Paschal said.
“I was hoping to win that championship, I’m thankful I’ve got great people around me, like G (coach Gerard Hillier), to let me know there’s always next season.
“Sometimes we need those losses to fuel us for the next season.
“So it’s pretty bittersweet that we didn’t win the championship this year but next year, we’re building to win another one so I’m looking forward to that.
“We’re just taking it one step at a time and we’re working super hard this off season to get better as a player and letting G build around the players that we have.
“I’m super confident with what G can do for us and the players that he can put around me so we can win another championship.”
Paschal was born in New York and raised in Florida and is thinking of staying in Australia throughout the off season to work on her game.
“I actually have no idea if I’m heading back to the US,” she said.
“I’m coaching at Wyndham and training, I’m just trying to work for myself for next season.
“I think I’m just going to stick around and train and learn the game on and off the court as a coach and as a player.”
Harper Sercombe
