By Chase Maser
In her Sophomore year at SMC,
Oshaela Gray has been deemed Athlete of the Year of 2016 for Women's Basketball. "It's really exciting, It's a big accomplishment," says Gray. "I've put in a lot of work during the season and I was surprised because some of my teammates played really good as well."
Gray, the 18-year-old Point Guard out of Hamilton High School, attributes her success on the basketball court to the "amazing team and coaching staff" that supported her throughout the season. "The coaching staff really put in a lot of time and effort to help me become a better player," says Gray. "The other players have been great too. There wasn't any drama like other teams I've been on before. We really gel together."
Being a full-time student, team captain, and averagine 16.5 points a game, Gray believes that one of the most important things she learned through SMC that helped her become the leader she is today is how to manage her schedule. "Time management is a big thing, especially since we have away games. I learned to do homework and study whenever I have extra time," says Gray. Extra time was also something that really improved Gray's development at the college level.
"I think it was a good decision coming to SMC first because right out of High School I wasn't ready to go to a 4-year university," says Gray. "I just wasn't ready to take that step yet, and so I was happy that the coaches recruited me, helping me during the transition."
The Head Coach for Women's Basketball, Lydia Strong, feels that "Oshaela is a phenomenal player. "She can shoot, she can drive, and she can run the plays," but that didn't happen on its own."
What's most impressive about Gray is that she can take direction and transform that into something monumental for herself and her team. "A lot of coaches told me that I needed to step up, to be a leader and to be vocal on the floor," says Gray. "I would really look at myself and say that I need to be that person that everyone can come to and look up to. The coaches always expected more out of me, and their words always helped me rise to the occasion."
An awards banquet will be held at the end of May to celebrate the achievements of the entire SMC athletic departments. If asked to speak, Gray says that she will be thanking her mother for being her most solid foundation, helping her achieve all of her success. "She's always been so supportive of my playing sports; all the time. She loves watching me play, but she's also big on academics, so she just wants to support me in whatever I do," says Gray.
Gray is studying Kinesiology and plans to pursue a career in Physical Therapy. "I don't really want to play basketball as a career. I would like to help out other athletes." Even off the court, Gray is still stepping up, being vocal, and continuing to be a leader.
