But the classy wing attack, along with her side, has made a slow start to the ANZ Championship and is just not feeling it yet. It is frustrating, it is disheartening and it has to stop, she said. The Steel has a crucial game against the Adelaide Thunderbirds in Invercargill tonight and defeat is not an option.
"Personally, I feel I'm hesitating too much," Leota said.
"Last year, I just threw the pass and this year I'm analysing before I let it go, which is probably a bad thing for me at the moment.
"Last season we just had so much confidence. We had a huge pre-season, too, which I suppose is where I gain that confidence and that trust in the shooters, whereas this year my first game was the start of the season. I really haven't got that confidence back to just to let the ball go."
Leota missed the pre-season with an injury and, unfortunately, was joined by too many of her team-mates.
While injuries can account for some early disappointing results, the Steel has been at full strength for the past two weeks and is still not performing at anywhere near the level the franchise should.
The attack end, although improving, is not functioning smoothly and the midcourt is making too many errors, a point Leota freely acknowledged.
"It is not so much other teams are beating us, it is us beating up ourselves," Leota said.
"Week in and week out we are making the same mistakes and not really fixing it."
"I suppose now we realise just how vital Megan [Dehn] was in that goal attack role. Someone with that much experience might have been the difference.
"But I know myself I haven't stepped up my performance and, I suppose, a few of us other senior players can say the same too.
"I just don't think we are cherishing the ball as much as we used to. The Steel was renowned for keeping possession. We never turned it over, we always got it to a shot and pretty much always through the hoop.
"We've gone away from the things we were really good at. I don't know. It is just so frustrating. I feel we train really hard during the week and I'm like "Wow, we look really good". Then when we play and it just feels like a different team."
While the Steel has had its problems with just two wins from six games, its opponent tonight has also had its tribulations.
The defending champion has had to deal with some high-profile defections, with international defenders Geva Mentor and Mo'onia Gerrard and shooter Kate Beveridge switching allegiances this season.
The Thunderbirds have based their game on water-tight defence and speed through the midcourt. But without Mentor and Gerrard the franchise has produced some indifferent performances and suffered big losses to the New South Wales Swifts, the Melbourne Vixens and the Queensland Firebirds.
But the Adelaide team restored some pride with a morale-boosting 57-55 victory against the Northern Mystics last week.
Home court advantage, though, will probably see the Steel start as favorite.
"Natalie von Bertouch is the key. If she is on fire, the team looks really good. We know it is going to be a huge game and we need to look at ourselves and do the basics well. If we can do that, we should be able to beat this team," Leota said.
STEEL v THUNDERBIRDS
• Venue: ILT Velodrome, Invercargill
• Time: Tonight, 7.40pm
RECENT RECORD
• 2010: Adelaide, 53-36 Thunderbirds
• 2009: Adelaide, 51-45 Thunderbirds
• 2009: Dunedin, 58-49 Steel
• 2008: Adelaide, 54-41 Thunderbirds
GAME PLAN
The departure of gun defenders Mo'onia Gerrard and Geva Mentor and shooter Kate Beveridge has had a big impact on the defending champion. The Adelaide-based side look a lot more beatable without the talented trio. The Steel, though, is a long way off its best form. Tonight's game is a must-win for both sides.
