Athlete of the Week – Zane Ozier
In this Q&A with Athletic Director Lyslo, PC junior Zane Ozier shares what it’s been like joining the program, what’s driving the team down the stretch, and the goals he’s working toward.
Zane, first off, congrats on being named Jersey Mike’s Athlete of the Week. What a great first season so far for you. How have you adapted to PC, and how do you feel you have played so far on the basketball team?
I feel I’ve adapted well to the Portland Christian program. It has been made easy for me to adapt, having such great captains and leaders around me.
Coming to PC, you know there are lofty expectations in boys’ basketball. What have you enjoyed about playing on this team, and has anything surprised you about the level of play or the seriousness of the group?
Something that I enjoyed about basketball this season is growing closer to all my teammates, spending time with my team on road trips, and overall just competing. Something that surprised me is how dedicated and focused the group is.
You guys are off to a great start, but have some big games ahead. What’s the mindset of the group right now? Is there room for improvement with the group as we head into the last 4.5 weeks of the season?
The mindset we have right now is just paying attention to detail. We know that we can compete with any team. But to compete at that level we need to clean up the little things. Yes, there is always room for improvement.
Postseason basketball is always a goal for teams and players. This group is well on its way to playoff basketball, something you haven’t experienced before. What are you doing to prepare for this? I’ve been preparing by getting extra reps and just trying to follow the guys on our team who have already played on that level and know what it takes to go far.
What kind of goals did you set for yourself before the season started, and have you achieved any of those goals yet?
One of my goals at the start of the season was to be first team all league. I think I’m on my way to receiving that accolade, but I’m just taking everything one day at a time.
You have a very hungry seniors-led group who are motivated to finish the season off the way. What have you learned from them, and what would it mean to help them fulfill their goals?
Yeah, the people who motivate me are definitely our team captains but also Cole Curry, who always competes and gets everyone hyped up for the games. Something I’ve learned from these people is to enjoy every moment of it because we have a limited amount of time we can continue to play basketball.
