Phoenix Heat coach Erika Russell has commended her players for again finishing unbeaten in the Bermuda Netball Association Senior League.

Heat defeated St George’s 44-22 at Bernard Park on Wednesday to wrap up another flawless campaign, in which they won all ten of their league matches. They had already been crowned champions after beating title rivals Lindo’s Tigers 49-43 a fortnight ago.

Coach Russell is a keen admirer of the commitment shown to the game by her players, most of whom have other responsibilities.

“It feels great to win the league because it’s always quite challenging,’’ Russell said.

“Week in, week out it’s a different team. We have a lot of mothers and some who are entrepreneurs, but everybody knows their part and they communicate really well.

“We show up and it’s a very committed team. These ladies have been playing together for a very long time. It’s just years of practice, working hard, preparing for matches and then incorporating the youths.

“We've been finishing unbeaten since the 2013 season, but they didn't start this way. They’ll tell you stories about how they used to lose a lot because I put them in the senior league, in their opinion prematurely.

“Coming together and losing strengthened our resolve and they work hard. That probably really fed the desire to work towards something.”

Heat made a slow start to the season with some of their matches postponed as a result of poor weather.

“It doesn't take much to keep my team focused,’’ Russell said. “We know it’s going to rain, it happens and we just prepare.”

While Heat do not usually field a team in the summer league, Russell expressed a desire to keep the younger players active.

“Typically, we don’t play in the summer league but we’re in discussions at the moment,’’ she said.

“We have quite a few college students so if they are ready to commit, then we’ll have them down.”

Kianté Lightbourne, the Heat MVP against St George’s, attributed the team’s success to diligence on the court.

“We work hard when we’re on the court together,’’ Lightbourne said.

“We’re very much in sync with one another. We’re going to see how things change when people start playing less and we bring in more junior players.

The Heat’s defensive rock, who is arguably the best player in the league, is still looking to fine tune her game.

“There’s always things to improve on,’’ she said. “Small personal targets for me, but my fitness is not what it used to be, I’m constantly trying to get fitter and trying to preserve my knees.”