The Alpine ski team is set to start off their season this year with a new head coach, Jesse Iverson. The girls team placed fourth at state last year and are hoping to reach state again this year and beat their record. Along with a new head coach, many new captains were chosen to lead the team this season. To establish leadership for the season, the team members vote for captains to lead them.
The captains elected for the boys this season are junior Logan Komarek, senior Kingston Windschitt and senior Joe Whitehead. The captains elected for the girls this season are junior Madison Komarek, senior Lila Parcheta and senior Rosie Kubiak.
“I just got voted to be a captain last year… I am a little bit nervous, but I feel like I have a strong connection with everyone on the team. It will allow me to be effective and also enjoy my time as a captain,” Komarek explained.
The team benefits from always supporting each other’s successes. Hard work is a big priority for the team as well. When everyone works hard and supports each other, the team performs even stronger.
“For us, I think hard work is a really big priority, and like being team players that are really supportive of each other,” junior Paige Stabenow explained.
To prepare for meets and conferences, the team practices as much as they can. The team starts getting ready for the season by practicing on dry land. They started on Nov. 10 in the weight room and go every Monday through Thursday from 3:50-5:50 p.m. In the weight room, their practices usually include team games, workouts, yoga, or other skill practicing drills. Then once snow falls, the team practices on the slopes at Afton Alps. Senior Morgan Hoff said the practices at Afton Alps will most likely be from 4:30-6:30 p.m. this year.
“Our dry land practice just started this week. Once we get into races, we have five conference races, and those are typically on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Then we have sections and state,” Hoff explained.
Many members of the team have done Alpine since they were young. Everyone on the team is passionate about skiing, and it is clear that it is not something most of them are willing to let go of just yet.
Hoff explained how she would “definitely continue Alpine after high school,” and that it is something she has “been looking for with colleges.”
The team members love their sport and especially their team. The racing can be hard, but ultimately when they get on the hill to race it all pays off. The team has a special connection with each other unlike most other sports teams, and it helps them perform even better on race day.
“It’s just the sense of community. The team is fairly small, so everyone is really tightly connected, and just have those connections with the team, it really helps you do well,” Komarek said.
The team is firing up to hit the slopes for the upcoming season. This year the team is excited for many new freshmen to join their team and bring even more team spirit.
“I am excited because we have got a lot of recruits, so we have a lot of new members. It will be really exciting for the team,” Stabenow explained.
With new members, a new head coach, and new captains, this team surely raises the standard for other Alpine teams in their conference and in the area.
