South Coast Blaze stint reignites passion for defender Aisha Bower

The Auckland native arrived on Australian shores boasting an impressive resume, including representing Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic in the Trans-Tasman ANZ Netball Championship, but was eager for a fresh opportunity. Complications from knee surgery in 2016 had forced her to take the comeback trail in the sport, and she found her passion for the game wavering.

That new chance came in the form of the South Coast Blaze. The defender had formed a bond with Blaze goal shooter Kristina Brice during their ANZ Netball Championship days, who encouraged Bower to come over to Australia. It's a move that paid dividends for Bower who, this week, capped a great debut season in the opens grade by securing the club's Players' Player award.

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"I think being new and not really knowing many people coming over here, it was an honour to get it in my first season," Bower said.

"I'd never consider going home now, it's a real family culture here. I had lost a little bit of love for netball, and didn't really know what I was going to do. But coming to Blaze, it made me realise how good I've got it here.

"I left my family behind - it's just me and my partner who came over - but I've found my own little family here which I'm grateful for."

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Now she's settled in at the Blaze, Bower has no intentions of leaving the club any time soon.

"I'd never consider going home now. It's a real family kind of culture," she said.

"I think what's great about Blaze is they've got that solid under 23s program, so we've got those players that can come up and play for us. This year, we had Selene [Chadrawy] move up from the under 23s and she's such a pocket rocket. I watch her and have no idea how she has the energy to keep going. We've got the likes of Maddy Eaton as well whose still so young and keeps going, so I think the future of South Coast Blaze is very bright."

Bower's opens teammate Katelyn Anderson received the Blaze's Coach's award, while the under-23s honours went to Sharnee Behr (Players' Player), Clare McCrohon (Coach's award) and Emma Mateo (Rookie of the Year).

Emma Paul was also named Club Person of the Year, while Lisa McCrohon received the Blaze Spirit Award.

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