Hamil is top scorer

(CNS): Theresa Hamil scored 153 points to be named top scorer in the 2009 Cayman Islands Basketball Association (CIBA) National Women’s League. Despite Hamil’s herculean efforts, her team – Esso Blazettes – did not win this year’s title. In a release from CIBA, she said of her award, “The league has a lot of talented and skilled individuals and it didn’t enter my mind that I would have come out as top scorer. (Photos by Tara Bush)

Twenty-eight-year-old Hamil is employed at the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority, in the Investments and Securities Division. She began playing during her first year at John Gray High School, when friends invited her to play with the team.

A talented sports woman, Hamil has earned a reputation for being on top of her game in other sports. She also played in the Cayman Islands Women’s National Football League a couple years ago with the intention to return in the future. Hamil, who plays both as a goal keeper and a field player, received a football scholarship to Webber International University, from which she graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Finance.

Hamil also collected a couple of awards while she attended university. In 1998, she broke the record for having the most shut-outs (lowest number of goals scored in one year) and was awarded Defensive Player of the Year for the 1998-1999 season.

Receiving her top scorer award, she said,“I received this award very humbly. I want to thank my team mates and my coach, Shawn Pitterson, for the support they gave and most importantly I want to thank God for giving me the strength and allowing me the privilege to go out and play because without God none of this would have been made possible,” she added.

Hamil also praised her team. “The persons I play with truly meet the definition of team mates. On the court and on the bench they displayed a lot of team spirit and gave a lot of encouragement,” she said.

The top scorer says she would like to encourage the youths to channel their energies into something positive as playing sports had a positive influence on her life. “While learning basketball as a teenager, I was blessed with the opportunity to train withthe national team, under the leadership of Victor “Voot” O’Garro, the National Technical Director of the Cayman Islands Basketball Association. As young persons growing up, we learnt a lot from Coach Voot both on and off the court and the experience was great. I want to take this opportunity to publicly thank Coach Voot for all of his hard work and dedication that he gave to the programme over the many years,” Hamil said.

Hamil currently trains with the Women’s National Basketball Team under the coaching of National Women;s Basketball Coach Redver Ebanks where she is in training for upcoming international tournaments.