Going into their last season, seniors Payton Stephenson and Sarah Zimmerman were named captains of the girls’ varsity volleyball team. They were voted on by their teammates during one of the practices in the early part of the season. Both Stephenson and Zimmerman have been playing high school volleyball for four years. They have shown their teammates and coaches they are leaders by staying focused and committed.

“Our main goal is to give 110 percent effort in all practices and games no matter what,” Stephenson said. “We also want to win as many games as possible but still have a bunch of fun doing it.”

The two seniors’ job roles consist of speaking on behalf of not only the coaches, but the team as well. According to Zimmerman, they have to be leaders both on and off the court. They communicate with their teammates to make sure they are in good places.

“We pump up the team and lead with enthusiasm,” Zimmerman said.

Zimmerman has been on varsity all four years of her high school career, and Stephenson has been on varsity for two years. Through their experiences , the two captains are able to lead by example on how things are done.

“It feels great to lead the team,” Zimmerman said. “It’s nice to help set the tone and lead by example and support everyone. I love all the girls, and it’s really nice to have their backs, just as I know they do for me.”

Stephenson had many feelings going through her mind when she was named a captain. According to Stephenson, being a captain is a big role to take on and one that many people don’t get to experience.

“[Being  named captain] made me feel like my teammates had trust in me to lead them in a positive direction this season,” Stephenson said.