Senior Selee Olmen recently completed her high school tennis career when she competed in her last match Oct. 14. When reflecting on her time, Olmen said her commitment to being a leader on and off the court was a highlight of her role on the team. 

“I enjoyed getting to know the younger girls and have always tried to make them feel included during practice and team bonding activities,” Olmen said. “On the court, it’s very important we all stay positive and motivate each other.”

Teammate and Senior Marissa Boettcher said Olmen was a great captain because of her ability to connect with the team.

“Selee did an amazing job as captain this year,” Boettcher said. “Even though she didn’t get a chance to play with everyone, she still made sure to get to know each and every player on our team.” 

Teammate and Senior Abby Meyer said she saw Olmen grow in both her play and her ability to keep team spirits high.

“I saw a huge improvement in her aggressiveness, especially at the net, she put away shots really well and backed me up when I made mistakes,” Meyer said. “She also became a lot more confident in her ability to play and helped keep up the energy with the team.”

Olmen said her job as a captain was hard due to the limitations that COVID-19 placed on team activities.

“Senior year has thrown a lot of curveballs, but we tried to make the best of the situation,” Olmen said. “It was difficult to plan team bonding activities with COVID, but we found time to get ice cream and do other fun activities.” 

Meyer said Olmen assisted her both in her play and bonding with her teammates.

“Selee helped me become more confident both in my tennis game as well as just interacting with the team as a captain,” Meyer said. “She was always there to talk and help plan things out, which helped a lot especially during COVID.” 

Boettcher commends Olmen’s work ethic and said it has contributed to her accomplishments.

“Selee always works really hard for what she wants, whether that might be a win in tennis or a good grade in a class. I’ve always known her to be such a hard worker, and I admire that about her,” Boettcher said. “Her determination motivates me to be better.”

Olmen said her season this year taught her life lessons that she will use outside of her sport.

“I learned an important lesson this year: tennis is more than just a game, but some things can also be applied to life such as teamwork, confidence and keeping your head up even when things get tough,” Olmen said.