Kristen Osborne came to the Waterloo Warriors looking to improve her game.
“I tried to soak up every bit of advice coaches gave me throughout the season and apply it to my game so that I could support my team and play a role on the team in my rookie season,” said Osbourne.
She applied that advice so well that she was named to the OUA all-rookie team this March.
Over the entire season, Osborne said her best performance was during the first weekend of the season in November.
“I was very nervous and didn’t know what to expect but we have so many amazing veteran leaders on the team that I felt very comfortable with my new team … We also [got] our first win that weekend.”
With conviction, Osborne commented, “I surprised myself with what hard work can do and how much a person can improve in a year if they are dedicated and work hard.”
When asked how she felt when she was selected, Osborne said “It was an amazing feeling … By the end of season I was never expecting to be put on the rookie list.” She went on to say how, in the preseason, she worked exceptionally hard to support the team all she could.
With a total of 140 points over the season, Osborne was in the top five scorers of the Warriors. She also has the highest field goal percentage of 38 per cent on the team, and is ranked 15th in the OUA. She averaged 8.2 points per game, second on the team and 43rd in the league. Osborne also had an impressive rebound total of 60, a 3.5 average per game.
Osborne went on to cite her teammates and hard work, rather than her stats, as the reason for her all-rookie selection.
Osborne said the team has a strong family atmosphere, and that it is that bond that causes them to work harder and play better together. She said it was being close with her teammates that directly contributed to her great performance.
