The leaders of the team. On the court and on the bench. In games and in practice. While winning and while losing. The captains are always there for the team and this year is no exception.

“You’re in a leadership role, I would say, because a lot of people will come to you and ask for advice or ask questions that they might not want to take to the coach,” Co-captain Jordan Slusser said. “You have a little bit more of a responsibility to always show up for your team and just be a good leader.”

Captains were decided about two weeks into the season. Long enough for the players to get to know each other but before games started. Votes were counted and captains were chosen. Seniors Slusser and Ella Bargen were to be captains of the girls Varsity volleyball team.

“I was really excited because I knew it was something I really wanted to do and the best way to be involved with the team,” Slusser said. “I was really looking forward to it and I knew that it was going to be really good in the long run.”

Being a captain comes with certain responsibilities. Including choosing to serve or receive in the first set, leading the team on the court and communicating, whether that be with referees, teammates or the coaches.

“After games Jordan and I usually talk to [coach Kent] Stover and give an overview of the game and how we felt about it,” Bargen said.

With both of them being seniors, they know what needs to be done for their team to be successful and they both want to help however they can. This shared desire for their team has brought them not only success but also a new found friendship.

“We’ve formed this connection where she sees the whole back row perspective and I see the whole front row perspective and we’re able to communicate with each other and talk about what needs to improve,” Slusser said. “We’re seeing it from two different angles which makes it really easy to figure out what’s not working and then together we come up with a solution to solve it.”