Best Team Captain

[Andy]

Keeping each team active and running properly takes a tremendous amount of effort from team captains. The paperwork, organization, and drama can be overwhelming.

What team captain has done an amazing job of helping grow their team and push them to success this past year?

[ristinbendure]

For the best captain, I would like to nominate Rachel Bell. She went above and beyond in her role being the most supportive and selfless leader. Her support was shown in every aspect. She celebrated the smallest accomplishments just as much as the achievements that broke school records. She made sure she was always available to talk and was so present to each person on the team. She made everyone feel valued as she wanted to spend every day at the lake watching the team practice and giving her advice. When she couldn’t be at the lake she was watching videos of every skier giving compliments and feedback. She always did what was best for the team, even considering not skiing so someone else could. She dealt with every problem with grace and no complaints and handled situations timely, maturely, and never overshared. She was incredibly organized, always ensuring that everyone was signed up for events in a timely manner and that all equipment was accounted for at tournaments. She took her role to the next level while making the most demanding job look effortless and so rewarding. She spent time on the dock, walking teammates through jump form, trick runs, and what they needed to do on the Salomon course. She stayed late when no one else did to make every b skier had someone send them off the dock. To make sure every skier had someone picking them up after their best or worst run. She celebrated each person like they were her best friend. Her spirit was contagious and unmatched. Her calm and encouraging presence helped each of us feel more confident and prepared. Rachel led with heart, grace, and organization, and she was truly the backbone of our team being always supportive, always dedicated, and always striving for the best for every individual.

[sammyvarness]

I would like to nominate Ryan Greiser from SIU for the best team captain award. If you’ve ever met Ryan, you know that leadership isn’t just about holding a title; it’s about lifting others up, creating a team that feels like a family, and pushing every single member to be their best. And that is exactly what Ryan has done.
Since last winter when he was elected president, he has made sure that everyone—no matter their skill level—felt welcomed, supported, and encouraged. Ryan isn’t just excited about personal achievements but celebrates every win, big or small, as if it were his own. Whether it’s a first-time skier getting up on the water or a 1000-point trick run, he is the loudest cheerleader on the dock.
Beyond that, Ryan has dedicated an unbelievable amount of time to our team, constantly working behind the scenes to ensure we have the best experience possible. Organizing getting our first team boat, coordinating travel, leading fundraisers—you name it, he does it. And let’s not forget that under his leadership, our team made history by advancing to Nationals for the very first time. That wasn’t just luck—that was the result of dedication, passion, and a leader who truly believes in every one of us.

[Kennedy Van Den Elzen]

Captaining looks different for every team, but for UW-Madison Cal O’Callaghan goes above and beyond in their captaining duties. Cal has extensive coaching experience, but the personal coaching sets are not the only thing that makes them the best team captain. From waking us up in the morning to making sure everyone gets to bed safe at tournaments, Cal is always there. They also are one of the most knowledgeable people I know on our team. For anything from boat settings to ski gear, they will have the answer. I feel like that knowledge stretches to the start dock, because most of the time Cal knows my settings better than I do myself. Cal is also an incredible person to send skiers off the dock because they know what you need, from equipment to music, to the overall energy that you might need; Cal knows it all. So, because of everything that Cal has done as captain of Wisconsin Madison, and their commitment to the growth of our team and others, I believe that they are deserving of the best captain award.

[Author]

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