By Derrick Smith

When an athlete is preparing for competition, they know that there is a certain amount of work that is required in order for them to be ready to compete. Different opponents bring with them a wide variety of skills and abilities. Kat Osterberger uses her opponent as a motivation to work harder and better.

“My motivation stems from wanting to be better than my competition,” she stated. “If I am going to participate in something, I’m going to give it my all and compete. It has taken a lot of hard work, dedication, and discipline for me to get to where I am today.”

Kat is a junior at Afton High School. She is a multi-sport athlete competing in track, cross country, basketball, cheer, and powerlifting. She says that she enjoys competing with all of her teammates, but there is one that she enjoys going up against the most. 

“Summer Murry and I battle it out in practice often,” she said. “We are both tough, have a lot of grit, and we both hate losing. I also feel like on most teams, including ours, there are some underappreciated team members. The least appreciated team members in any sport are the alternates, second string, or bench players. They are absolutely vital to the team and deserve a lot more credit. They help create and maintain the atmosphere that makes success possible.”

When she is not practicing or competing in one of her sports, Osterberger enjoys checking out different people on social media. And she has one person that she enjoys following the most. 

“Chari Hawkins is my favorite follow by far,” she said. “She competes for Team USA in track and has great insight on running mechanics. She also focuses a lot on mental health and how crucial it is in performing well.”

Along with all of her sports, Kat is also involved with a number of clubs around campus. She is a part of the student council, Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America, Interact Club, and the National Honor Society, and  serves as class president.