Newly crowned AFLW best and fairest winner Monique Conti believes juggling football and basketball is getting the best out of her.
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Richmond superstar Conti has returned to the WNBL with the Melbourne Boomers for this season after starring for the Tigers.
Cross-code star Conti won the AFLW's highest honour with two rounds to spare and by a full seven votes, polling 23 of a possible 30 votes in the 10-game season.
The 23-year-old hailed the balance provided by her two sports.
"I don't think I ever sit still. I would go crazy if I did," Conti said."I like to be go, go, go all the time. And I think that's what makes me me. I wouldn't be the same if I was sitting still.
"So yeah, I go from one to the other to keep me going and that's the way I like it."
Many top female sportswomen are increasingly encouraged to settle on one sport - a trend Conti is happy to buck.
"That's what keeps me going is knowing that I can help create a path for young girls that are being told to choose between one sport or the other," she said.
"So credit to the girls that can do both and a big credit to Tessa Lavey as well. She did it for a really long time. I think Erin (Phillips) started it and I'm still sort of following in her footsteps.
"So being a role model is really important. It's definitely something that drives me and I'm sure it drives a lot of other athetes as well."
Conti insisted she wasn't done with her hectic schedule yet.
"Sometimes my body doesn't feel 23," she said.
"But I don't know - I just want to keep doing what I'm doing. I really don't like planning too far ahead. That stresses me out.
"You can ask anyone that knows me really well, I don't like to plan.
"But I think i just want to keep enjoying my football, keep winning with the Tigers, try and pursue my basketball as much as I can.
"But I guess just take it like season by season, year by year and just see what I want to do that year and just get better and have fun."
Australian Associated Press
