Kaitlind Dutrizac has been playing basketball since she was a little girl, and all that hard work has paid off for her. Starting off the second half of the season strong, she is now in her third year as the Captain of the Fanshawe Falcons women's basketball team. She has been playing for the Falcons for a total of five years. She is a dedicated player who said she has "a real passion for the game."

Dutrizac started her first year playing for the college team on the bench. She said that she started taking the game more seriously as she got older. "I kept playing and learned a lot from all the vets." Taking advice from older players and working hard in practices helped Dutrizac succeed on the team and become a veteran player herself. She now plays the position of a shooting guard, which allows her to do a lot of both defence and scoring for the team.

Dutrizac said she enjoys being in the role of team Captain. She likes being able to work with and help the newer players improve. "I like showing the rookies how to be a leader on and off the court ... and just working hard each and every day that we're in practice." Dutrizac said she believes that she has had more to contribute to the team in recent years because of how long she has been playing for the Falcons.

She was recently named OCAA's Athlete of the Week — the first player on Fanshawe's women's basketball team to hold this title this season — and with good cause. As of the start of the second half of the season, Dutrizac had a nearly eight pointsper- game average for a total of 71 points, making her the second-highest point scorer on the team. Forward Natasha Amo is the point leader with an average of 12.5 points per game.

The players said they have been sticking together both as teammates and friends. Dutrizac said the entire team has great chemistry together and is working hard in practices. The ladies have made working on defensive strategies their focus for this year.

After the Falcons' game against Humber (which they won 56-51), the women's team is the leader in the OCAA West region with a 9-1 record. The Falcons played their first home game of the semester on January 18 against St. Clair, downign the Saints 66-49 to improve to 10-1. Dutrizac led the Falcons with 23 points and six rebounds. The Falcons host Sheridan on January 25.

For more information on the women's basketball team, game schedules and stats, visit the Athletics Office in J-Gym or check out tinyurl.com/womensbball2011.