Eryn Olson (11) never dreamed that she could be a co-captain on the Girls’ Basketball during her first year on the varsity team. During her freshman year, Olson was a member of the Frosh/Soph team then leveled up to JV in her sophomore year. Olson recalls, “Basketball helped me become a part of West High as I came from a small, private school. It forced me to meet new people and be more outgoing.”

Olson is one of three captains on the squad, and the only junior to have the title. Despite that she is not as experienced as the other captains, Olson wants “to be a good motivator and show responsibility throughout the season.” Her drive is obvious to her teammates, as fellow player Gaby Ferradj (11) adds, “Eryn is a very hard worker and shows a lot of dedication to the team. She puts in a lot of effort in everything she does, but keeps the game fun and motivates the team.”

Unlike some others, Olson never seriously committed to playing basketball until just before her freshman year. Since she discovered the newfound passion, Olson tries to train and condition daily. She mentions, “I run a lot and my dad takes me to the gym to work on my basketball skills.” This extra work put in by Olson will hopefully improve her game as she states, “I am really small for my position, so I usually try to make up for it in quickness but I try to do everything I can to cover my size.” Although she may be small, Olson consistently displays fantastic talent on the court.

Even as a junior, Olson is already thinking about college. “I don’t really want to play basketball in college, probably just for fun.” Instead, she looks forward to her first season on the varsity team, which officially beginning next week. She conveys, “I want to help the team have as successful a season as we can. We have potential to go far, we just need to keep up the good teamwork.” With such determination, Olson will help to guide the team to a solid season of which she can be proud.