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Dec. 11, 2009

Everett, Wash -

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Amanda Dunbar

Hometown: Marysville (Marysville-Pilchuck High School)

What she did: Over the course of three games, she made a school-record 10 consecutive shots from 3-point range, including a 5-for-5 performance in the championship game of the Lynda Goodrich Classic. Through five games, Dunbar is shooting 73.9 percent (17-of-23) from 3-point range.

What's next: Dunbar and her unbeaten WWU team compete in the Great Western Shootout in Las Vegas, beginning Dec. 16.

The two-minute drill

During one stretch over three games last week, you hit 10 consecutive 3-pointers. How big did the basket look when you were in that zone?

It didn't look that big. I was hitting them in three different games, so it didn't feel like I was making that many. I didn't realize I was close to the record, or even that there was a record like that. I found out after the (Hawaii-Hilo) game (on Dec. 3). It was pretty cool, I guess. But when you're in the flow, you don't think about how many you're making and how many you're not making.

When you finally missed, did you consider that a slump?

No. It didn't faze me that I missed it. I'm a shooter. I just keep shooting.

How did you develop such a deadly outside shot?

I just shoot a lot in the gym. I shot a lot in high school with a machine called the gun. I do that here, too. I'm always shooting, I guess. It kind of came natural, and I've tried to work on it.

Speaking of outside shooters, our previous Athlete of the Week was Portland University 3-point specialist Jared Stohl, who's also from Marysville. How do two shooters like that come from one town?

No idea. He's a super gym rat. He's always in the gym. I don't think I was in the gym as much as him. But it's about practice, (and) as much as you want to improve. I'd see him every once in awhile. I used to go to the boys' open gym. And we shot at the YMCA a few times. I always used to watch him.

Have you ever taken him on in a shooting contest?

Not that I can remember. Maybe during a camp or something.

Would you be interested?

I could take him on. But I'm definitely the underdog.

So we plugged your name into a Yahoo! search engine and got mostly Web sites for Amanda Dunbar, the artist, and Amanda Dunbar, the female bodybuilder. If you had to choose one, which of those could be you in five years?

The bodybuilder. Because I can't see myself being an artist. I definitely want to keep working out. I don't think I want to be a bodybuilder, though.

Marysville is known for weightlifters as well as outside shooters, you know. Can you tell us the name of the discus thrower from your hometown who has competed in the Olympics.

(Long pause) Uh, no.

His name is Jarred Rome, and he once threw a discus 221½ feet. Is that within your shooting range?

Wow. No. I did make a half-court shot in high school, though.

Sorry to change subjects, but we've got to know: What's it like not having football at WWU anymore?

It's a lot different, especially around Carver Gym, where the athletes hang out. It feels a little more empty. Football players used to come to our games. We used to have more fans there; not as many show up now. I'm used to it now, but it's kind of weird.

So how did people spend their Saturdays in the fall without football?

No idea.

We're guessing you spent yours locked up in a gym somewhere, taking passes from a gun machine?

Yeah. I'm usually in there in no less than an hour. In a half hour, I can get up 500 to 600 shots on the gun.

That's a pretty good workout. Are you pretty tired afterward?

Yeah, I am. My arm gets really sore.

So maybe you're on your way to being a bodybuilder. Or an Olympic discus thrower.

(Laughs) Maybe.