How has training at the National Academy helped your development and what impact do you think it will have on your basketball career?
“The Academy is the reason why I was able to achieve my goal of making the Senior Women’s National Team. Without the National Academy program I would not have the opportunity to learn from the best coaching staff in the world. This program has made it possible to bring top Canadian athletes together to focus on improving their game and it will continue to allow me to grow as a athlete.
The coaching staff at the Academy has been able to help me in all areas of my game including shooting, chair skills and ball handling. The major area the Academy has helped me improve on is my confidence in myself. I have been able to feel more confident handling the ball and guarding higher class players.
I am very thankful for the amazing experience of representing Team Canada at the 2014 Women’s World Championship and I am forever grateful to the Academy for the hard work the staff has invested to prepare me for my first world championship. I have to say my teammates are the greatest group of ladies I know. I could not have asked for better teammates. I will hold this experience close to me and moving forward I will learn from each and every game and take those lessons back to the Academy so I can work on improving my game.
It has been the most rewarding year of my life on and off the court. I have learned so much about myself and about wheelchair basketball.
I can honestly say it has been the most rewarding year of my life on and off the court. I have learned so much about myself and about wheelchair basketball, and for that I have to thank Coach Mike Frogley for teaching me every day at the National Academy. Without his guidance I would not be where I am today. I will continue to put forward my best effort every single day in the hopes of achieving much more with the National Team.
I am ready to get back to full-time training at the Academy so I can take what I have learned over this past year and improve on those skills so I can be a more effective and a stronger player. I will focus on doing what it takes to become the best athlete I can be. I am looking forward to another amazing year.”
– Melanie Hawtin, player for the Senior Women’s National Team