OSHAWA, Ont. – Kairo Coore is the definition of resilience.

Coore has had an incredible campaign, finishing the season with 11 goals, which put him as the OUA top scorer and OUA East MVP on route to being an OUA Champion.

But even with an incredible season with massive highs came some lows, as the team struggled in the middle of the season, and Coore went down with an injury in the second half of the season, missing five games. 

"Not being able to contribute on the field was tough, especially knowing how competitive every match was." Coore said, "But credit to Coach Ramin for building a team strong enough to step up and get the job done collectively."

Aside from that, Coore had a moment to remember bagging a hat trick vs Trent, and this meant a lot to him.

 "It was a special moment, my first hat trick for the school. There's no better feeling as a striker, and that game gave me and the team a big momentum boost." Coore said, "Looking back, it was a lot of fun and definitely one of the highlights of my career here."

A striker's dream is to finish the season as a top scorer, and Coore did just that. Coore spent time playing in the Canadian Premier League, appearing in 10 games for FC Edmonton, scoring two goals, and in 2023 and 2024 he suited up for Western Suburbs FC abd Whittlesea Ranges FC in New Zealand.

"(My) experience played a big role. Over the years, I've learned to trust the process and let the hard work speak for itself. I was also fortunate to have a team that played to my strengths, which made my job much easier." Coore said, "When everyone is on the same page, success comes naturally."

He was also named Ontario Tech Ridgebacks Male Athlete of the Year, which Coore said was an honour and he had high praise for his teammates.

"To be chosen from the entire university is something I'm really proud of. As cliché as it sounds, I couldn't have done it without my teammates. I'm excited for the day I can come back with my kids and point to that banner in the gym, knowing what it represents.

"I'd say the season really hit a crescendo. We had a slow start, myself included, but we trusted our coaches and each other. As the season went on, we grew in belief, ability, and hunger. It ended up being my favourite collegiate season so far."