We are excited to announce our 2020 volleyball captains!
The selection process is not easy. We follow the same process as many programs at CLHS and using recommendations from the Minnesota State High School League:
- Each spring, all returning Varsity are emailed an application and an explanation of the process. They have two weeks to submit applications to our coaching staff including short essay questions, references, leadership experience, and ideas for the program.
- The coaches review the applications, discuss our experiences with each applicant, reach out to references provided by the applicants, and ask the applicants follow-up questions when necessary. Then the coaching staff makes the captain selection based on athlete’s leadership experience, mentorship capabilities, work ethic in the gym, and other notable qualities. There is no voting by players (this becomes a popularity contest). All applicants are notified if they made it or not. All captains must apply each year, even if they were a captain the year before.
- From there, the captains meet weekly with the coaching staff all summer to prepare for the 2020 season. They go through a leadership book study (this year it’s Energy Bus by Jon Gordon), their handbook/expectations, and multiple planning tasks (apparel selection, social calendar, virtual training, promotions, etc.). They also help write curriculum for our program this fall where they will lead weekly lessons from our summer reading to help develop our program’s team-oriented skills.
- The captains also meet weekly with the coaching staff during the season for communication and connection to the team. They will continue planning events for the group, helping mentor and teach the younger girls, and representing the program as a whole to the community.
Our 2020 captains are as follows:
Samantha Paulsen: “I would like to be a captain of the Chisago Lakes volleyball program because I love to be a role model and a person that younger athletes can look up to, whether that be for advice or just to be a positive influence. I want to be able to show the younger athletes the importance of being self motivated but also a team player, and I want to be a person they look up to to be able to do that. I also think that by being a captain of the CLVB program, I would offer an outlet to any players who are having troubles with school, volleyball, or anything else. I think that by becoming a captain I would be able influence all of the athletes in our program by showing them the importance of bringing a positive and motivated mindset to practice and games everyday.”
Samantha Olson: “I would love to be one of the program/ team captains for the 2020 volleyball season for so many reasons. Being a captain was so much more than I expected. It was an honor, very exciting, rewarding, a commitment and so special. I love to lead and take charge; especially for a volleyball program that I have been a part of all my life. I appreciated how much my coach included the captains into making program decisions. I loved leading drills, captains’ share, huddles, and being someone our program can look up to. Being a captain allowed me to bring the energy in our huddles and on the court. It has allowed me to express my love for volleyball to the other girls. It has allowed me to connect and create strong relationships. It has taught me to become a leader. It was a major blessing to be a captain and I hope to experience this amazing opportunity once again.”
Anika Zins: “I love volleyball and it would be a huge honor to be a captain for the program that I love and have been involved in for years. It would be such a great opportunity to help lead the team that I have invested so much energy and time into.”
Emma Bjelland: “I would like to be a volleyball captain, because I want to form relationships with all the girls and be committed to showing up on time and working with the younger girls as well, because I know from experience older girls can have such an impact on the younger girls lives. I would like to impact other girls to stay with volleyball throughout the years and show them how fun it can be, and all the relationships and activities you can be involved in. I love to put myself in leadership roles and leave an imprint on the program.”
The coaching staff could not be more thrilled with the group of 2020 captains. “We have an exceptional group of seniors this year, and this was not an easy choice. We fully believe that many of our student-athletes would make excellent leaders. This season will be very special and I’m thrilled these ladies will be leading that effort,” Coach Lindstrom said. “Each of them has a big heart for the program, an outstanding work ethic, strong character, and a desire to build relationships and contribute to our program. They will represent us very well.” The captains have already been working hard this summer and are excited for what the 2020 season has in store.
Chisago Lakes Volleyball 