In Osborne, NL simply follows its conscience

New London Under the category of "sense of humor," Chuck Potter is the American Express Card: He never leaves home without it. And Potter, the behavioral specialist at New London High, was on his game the day he decided to needle a few boys in school who needed some, you know, guidance.

"If you don't stop," Potter said, "I'll send Charee after you."

And even though Potter was kidding, the message was clearer than a bottle of Aquafina. You don't mess with Charee. That would be Charee Osborne, senior forward on the girls' basketball team. Put it this way: If Charee were a hockey player, she'd be the player the coach summons to restore order on the ice.

"She's tough, smart, tenacious and kind," Potter said. "Smoother than a blue ribbon bourbon. A model Whaler."

Indeed. And they all know it in the school. Osborne is very much the conscience of the Whalers, who begin state tournament play Monday night at Conway Gym.

"I love Mr. Potter. That's funny," Osborne said of her role as Potter's unwitting enforcer. "I'm friends with everybody. I just try to keep everybody level-headed. You never want to see your friends do something wrong. You could say some people are scared of me. I won't lie. I'm not the type to smile everywhere I go. I mean business for the most part. If I don't know you, I'm straight faced."

There's no denying that Osborne's mien looks mean to many of her opponents. Which is just the way she likes it. Intimidation works. And they probably have no idea she's a second-degree black belt in karate, too.

"New London, it's kind of rough here and there," Osborne said earlier this week. "Where I grew

up, it was nothing but boys. Lots of roughhousing. My mom put me in karate for self-defense. That was my passion at first."

It also offers a deeper look into the player she's become. If intimidation isn't the first thing you notice, this is: She is a very skilled basketball player. Her hands and feet sing from the same page of the hymn book. Soft touch (college programs take note).

"When I started basketball, I didn't know what a layup was," she said. "But karate for three and a half years, that's nothing but hand/eye coordination."

So now Osborne and the Whalers seek their second state title in three years, after the league championship eluded them last week. It wasn't a joyful bus ride home from Plainfield. But then, there's comfort in knowing the conscience of your team is Charee Osborne. If the focus wavered last week, it won't any longer.

Osborne recalled the state tournament of two years ago and likened it to a "family reunion." The Whalers became an event in girls' basketball for the first time in a while.

"Charee's great," New London coach Holly Misto said. "Really the leader of the team. The first thing that struck me about her was how strong she was. Once she gets the ball, nobody is taking it away from her. But she has great hands and a nice touch."

An inquiring mind asked Misto whether she thought opponents were scared of her.

"Scared? Maybe intimidated," Misto said. "I would be. I won't get in a scrimmage."

Osborne probably has no idea of her impact on the program, school and city. Strong female presences are still too scarce. Here's a kid who has been handed nothing. She used karate to hone her basketball skills, her demeanor to become a leader.

"On and off the court," teammate Jada Lucas said.

They'll all miss her next year. Misto, her teammates, and even Potter.

"I don't know," Osborne said. "Sometimes when I'm playing I feel like people think they're going to get hurt against me. But you can't be soft out there." This is the opinion of Day sports columnist Mike DiMauro. Twitter: @BCgenius