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NWBA Athlete of the Week - Rose Hollermann

By NWBA, 11/18/15, 6:45PM CST

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Weekly Installment featuring men's and women's Team USA players

Rose Hollermann, a member of the gold-medal winning 2015 U.S. Parapan Am Games team, is the youngest member of the U.S. Women’s Team USA at the age of 19. Hollermann and her 2015 teammates are finalists for the Paralympic Team of the Year award, presented by Dow. Hollermann, the leading scorer with 37 points in the gold-medal game against Canada, sealed the Parapan Am Games title by scoring four points from the charity stripe in the last minute of the game for the 80-72 win. The women’s squad outscored its opponents by an average of 55 points per game. By its win, Team USA also qualified for the Rio 2016 Paralympics.

Be sure to vote for Rose and her teammates at www.teamusa.org/awards.  Voting is live through Nov. 20.  The winner will be announced on Dec. 10.

Name:         Rose Hollermann
Height:         5’8”
Classification:     3.5
Date of Birth:     Dec. 25, 1995
Place of Birth:     Elysian, Minn.
Hometown:         Elysian, Minn.
Residence:         Arlington, Texas
High School:     Waterville-Elysian-Morristown High School, Waterville, Minnesota. 
College:         University of Texas at Arlington, Majoring in Early Childhood Education

Paralympic Games Experience: 4th place at 2012 Paralympic Games

Career Highlights:     2015, 2011 Parapan Am Games, Gold medal
2011, U25 World Championship, gold medal
2010, U20 World Championship, gold medal 
2010,  All-Tournament Team from the National Junior Wheelchair Basketball Tournament
2008, 2009, 2010 National Junior Wheelchair Basketball National Champion

Personal Background: Her parents are John and Michelle Hollermann, and she has three brothers: Shane, Ethan and Seth.

Hobbies: Fishing, hunting, basketball, sled hockey and listening to music.

Q&A with Rose:
NWBA:  Who is your hero?
Rose: My heroes will always be my parents.

NWBA:  When did you start playing wheelchair basketball? 
Rose: I started playing basketball at the Courage Center when I was seven years old. 

NWBA: At the Parapan Am Games when you scored 37 points for the Gold medal, what do you contribute that performance to? Was it coaching, game plan, conditioning, etc.
Rose: One of the great things about the team is that I can be the 3rd threat on the team.  With Becca and Desi being so strong and being such good shooters, they give me a lot of space to cut and move allowing me to do what I am best at.  One of the beautiful things about our team is that we complement each other.  Everyone is willing to give up for the team.

NWBA: This was the second time in your career winning the Parapan Am Games. Does this championship have a special feeling? 
Rose:  I was only 15 the first time and was in the backseat.  This time I was a starter for the team.  Also in Mexico it was very different.  Being in Toronto, it was more like home.

NWBA: You basketball career is pretty amazing for someone your age. How have you become so successful and a major contributor to the United States? 
Rose: I give all my success to my parents.  From an early age they gave me confidence to do well.  I think my dad loves the sport more than me and basketball is everything to me.  I have great parents that got excited about whatever sport my brothers and I were interested in.

NWBA:  Did you play any other sports? Did you receive any awards from other sports?
Rose:  I participated in swimming, sled hockey, archery, track & field, and cross-country skiing. 

NWBA:  Do you play or have you ever played on an overseas wheelchair basketball team?
Rose:  I have not played overseas, but I hope to one day. 

NWBA:  Do you have any pre-game rituals or superstitions?
Rose:  I have one game superstition: my socks and shoes have to be mismatched. 

NWBA:  What is your favorite basketball moment? 
Rose:  My favorite basketball memory was a comeback from a 20-point deficit to China in the 2012 London Paralympic Games. 

NWBA:  Why do you play wheelchair basketball? 
Rose:  I play basketball because it’s I have always loved. I love everything about it, from the sound of a ball bouncing to a teammate getting on you for not pushing hard. 

NWBA:  Do you have pets? 
Rose:  Nope

NWBA: What is a short term goal?  
Rose: Preparing for Rio.  I want a medal there.

NWBA:  What are your long term goals?
Rose:  I want to help grow the sport of wheelchair basketball. I plan on graduating in the Spring of 2019.  I am also interested in using my education background to do more research about the best teaching methods available for children.

Photo credit: Diana DeRosa/MacMillan Photography