Tara Murray
Kyneton Tigers’ Michelle Fletcher may have won many awards on the basketball court, but winning the Basketball Victoria Country Basketball League north-west most valuable player award is one of the biggest surprises.
Fletcher, who has been part of the Tigers CBL team since the start, was named the MVP and in the all-star five at the recent grand finals.
For the stalwart, it came as a bit of a shock. To even be one of the 10 finalists for the award and the all-star five was a surprise for Fletcher.
“I’ve been around basketball for a long time,” she said. “I’m 44.
“I’m happy with the way that I played this season, but I didn’t expect it.
“I didn’t think that I deserved it, but I’m happy with it.”
Fletcher said while she was honoured to win the award, she also thought it was funny and unsure how it occurred.
She said her teammates were excited to see her recognised as well.
“The girls were really excited along with [coach] Kim [Strawhorn],” she said.
“They pick on me for playing at such an old age. It’s all good fun.”
The award is bittersweet for Fletcher, with the Tigers being knocked out in the semi finals after losing just one game during the regular season.
Having gone so close again, Fletcher said the group was left disappointed in how the season ended.
“We wish we would have won it, at least made the grand final,” she said. “We’re annoyed as we have a great team.”
She said it’s her teammates like the Mangan sisters and Alex Strawhorn, that keep her coming back each year
The highlight for Fletcher this season was getting to play in the CBL with her daughter Jazmine Young, who made her debut at 13.
Young is now part of the state program, with Fletcher saying she is better than she was when she was her age.
“It is great and hopefully we can get a big more of a run on court together next year,” she said.
“My daughter was rapt with me winning the award.
“I’ve done a lot of training with Jaz’s team and learned a lot from them.”
For Fletcher, who played more than 300 games in the South East Australia Basketball League and had her jersey retired by the Bendigo Braves, she said watching the next generation including her two kids coming through at Kyneton was really good and the program had come a long way.
Players used to have to travel to Bendigo and Sunbury to get those opportunities.
Fletcher, who is also part of Kyneton’s netball program in the Bendigo Netball League with the Mangan sisters, has no plans on retiring just yet.
“I love it, I want to keep going,”
