By Madison Lusignan – Staff Reporter

Jonathan Law girls basketball captain Olivia Kowalski is excited to play in the upcoming season and is prepared to encourage the rest of the team along with her co-captains Jillian Hall and Madilyn Lula. Kowalski has been playing the sport for all four years of her high school career and she is thrilled to finish it with the rest of the senior girls. Advocate Staff Reporter Madison Lusignan interviewed Kowalski about the upcoming season.

Madison Lusignan: How did you initially feel when you were announced captain of the girls basketball team? 

Olivia Kowalski: When I was first announced, I’m not going to lie, I felt proud of myself. The captains I’ve played under the last few years were amazing players and people and it gave me a certain sense of confidence and leadership I did not have before. 

ML: Do you think you have a certain role you have to fulfill? If so what role and how do you feel you will fill that roll?

OK: There is no dictionary definition of what a basketball captain must be like. Each one of us has a leadership position that could be interpreted as whatever we choose. For me personally, I want to inspire confidence.

ML: Do you have any goals to accomplish this season? As a team and personally

OK: As a team, my goals for us is to make at as far as we have been. The last two years we were able to go to the state quarterfinals and I believe we can this year too. We have a different team after losing five seniors, but I do not think we are unable to succeed. Personally, I want to step up and fill the shoes we have lost. 

ML: As  captain, how do you feel like you are a role model to others?

OK: As a basketball captain, I feel like my team looks up to me both when I am playing and when I am not. If they see I start to lose energy, then so do they. And therefore, they match the effort I put in, which encourages me to put in 120% of my effort in both games and practice. 

ML: What are you expectations for this season?

OK: My expectations for this season are not lower than it has been in the past. Although we have a brand new team, I believe we are able to succeed in a different, new way than we have been. I expect nothing less and I trust my team does as well.