This is award given to a first-year player on the team that has put in a lot of effort and makes an impact on the court. They provide us with throws and catches when it is needed the most. The winner is voted on by their teammates and this year’s rookie of the year is Stephen Bittner. Let’s take a look at his interview below and how he feels about winning this award!
Q: How do you feel about winning this award?
A: It feels pretty good. I think it shows that I’ve improved quite a bit since the beginning of the season because blocking was my worst skill by far and now it might be my best.
Q: What was your proudest moment from this season?
A: My proudest moment was probably when I was the last player remaining player in one of the points at Nationals and I got an out or two and a catch. I had struggled figuring out how to play best when I was alone before, and that point felt like redemption.
Q: What do you hope to improve on?
A: I’m hoping to improve on throwing this next season. As any tournament goes on, my accuracy and speed goes down and I would like to work on that.
Q: What are you looking forward to for the next season?
A: I’m looking forward to playing in the center and improving at drawing attention and providing pressure with pump faking.
Q: What is your greatest takeaway from this season?
A: My biggest takeaway is that communication is the most important thing on the court. You are almost never going to be able to make plays without the support of your teammates, and they’re not mind readers. Make sure to communicate effectively!
Congratulations to Stephen for winning this award and for all of the hard work he’s put in this season!