Fowler confirmed as best new talent
SHOOTER Jhaniele Fowler has been rewarded for her outstanding debut season with the Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel by being named the ANZ Championship’s Best New Talent for the 2013 season, according to a report on the ANZ Championships website.
The 23-year old Jamaican international grabbed headlines this season by breaking the league’s shooting records, including most goals in a season and most goals in a single match, in her first year of the ANZ Championship.
“We’ve never seen a player like Jhaniele, who has had such an impact on the competition in their first season of ANZ Championship,” ANZ Championship general manager Andy Crook told the website.
Fowler’s 65 goals against the EasiYo Tactix, in just her second game, broke league’s record for most goals in a single game — a figure she achieved twice this season — on the way to eclipsing the competition’s record for most goals in a season.
The shooter finished the season with 666 goals, at an average of 52.1 goals per game and 94 per cent accuracy, to surpass the previous record of 574 goals set by fellow Jamaican Carla Borrego in 2010.
Fowler, who returned to Jamaica to be with her daughter and fiancé immediately following the season, said playing in the ANZ Championship was a dream come true.
“It was awesome because I never thought I would be getting the opportunity to do so; I was very honoured and happy to be part of it,” Fowler said.
“Playing in the ANZ Championship exceeded my expectations because I thought maybe I would have had it a little easier, but it was intense and fast-paced, so it lived up to and beyond my expectations.
“My aim was just to take every game as a learning process and just develop … to be a very good shooter and do the best for my team.”
Fowler paid tribute to her Steel teammates in helping her settle in Invercargill.
“They helped a lot because it’s hard being away from my family so far and for so long,” Fowler said.
“They have made me feel comfortable. I have had a lot of dinners over at my teammates, the Steel family checked up on me and they’ve made me warm by getting me my heater and stuff so they did a lot — they went beyond the call of duty to make me comfortable.”
Fowler follows previous winners Julianna Naoupu (2012), Kayla Cullen (2011) and Sharni Layton (2010).
