As part of the Red River Athletic Conference’s (RRAC) commitment to the NAIA Champions of Character program, the conference recognizes student-athletes from member schools who have exhibited a high level of scholarship, sportsmanship, integrity, responsibility and community service. Each week, student-athletes are selected as RRAC Character Athletes of the Week based on character and commitment to their schools and communities. Zerina Shatri of Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU) is the fourth student-athlete to be recognized for the 2020-2021 academic year.
RRAC Character Athlete of the Week
Zerina Shatri, Our Lady of the Lake University
Sports: Basketball
Year: Senior
Hometown: Istog, Kosovo
Major: Kinesiology
GPA: 3.75
Champions of Character Qualities/Activities:
- Volunteered at the Ides Partnership to help Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian minorities
- Assisted a physical therapist with children to gain experience
- Cleans Badovc Lake in her hometown with other volunteers and sisters
- Coaches youth basketball players along with her uncle and shares her playing experience
- Joined the OLLU team in spending time with residents at Kindred Hospice
- Volunteereed for the San Antonio Food Bank to support senior citizens
- Cooked for families at the San Antonio Ronald McDonald House
- Cleaned facilities inside her church as a volunteer for the Sisters of the Divine Providence
- Contributed time to help with the Embassy Basketball Camp last year at OLLU
- Donated time to the OLLU Sport and Leadership Academy
- Assisted an OLLU professor in conducting the FIT KIDS GAMES event
- Took academic and athletic responsibilities seriously
- Fulfilled her role on the team with humility and respect
Future Plans: Shatri’s goal is to be a successful physical therapist. She would like to stay in the U.S. and pursue her master’s degree to become an athletic trainer. She plans to get experience either in physical therapy or as an athletic trainer so she can share her knowledge and experience with others in Kosovo.
Coach’s Perspective: (OLLU Women’s Basketball Head Coach Stacy Stephens) “Zerina is a very intelligent, funny and hard-working young woman. She graduated in May 2021. She was on the Dean’s List almost every semester here and was the starting center for the 2020-2021 women’s basketball team. She loves to sight see and embrace different cultures. She is always willing to help others and watching her grow and mature into the amazing young woman she is has been a highlight in my coaching career.”