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November 6, 2009

Ramser is Dragons' junior leader

Setter unfazed by team captain label

BY GREG MENGELT

Danielle Ramser is a rarity in high school sports — a junior captain.

Despite Silver Creek having four seniors, the Silver Creek setter was tabbed to be the Dragons’ leader, along with senior LeAnn Osterhoudt.

Silver Creek coach Jeff Zimmerman said he noticed leadership qualities in Ramser from the time she was a freshman and told her then to be ready to take over a leadership position in his program.

“Since she was a freshman, I’ve been telling her, ‘One day, you’re going to be the leader of this team,’” Zimmerman said. “She’s really accepted that role this year. She has a tremendous desire to win and she’s the heart and soul of our team.”

Fellow-junior Kristyn Maymon said she respects Ramser’s floor-leadership and authority.

“She’s an amazing setter and a really good leader,” Maymon said. “She always tells me what need to do to get better.”



QUESTION: It’s not often that a junior is named a team captain, especially with four seniors on the team. How did that happen?

RAMSER: We got together as a team and asked who we thought would make the best captains and we all voted, and I was voted one of the captains with LeAnn.

Q: You coach said that he’s been grooming you for three years to be the team leader. Do you feel like you’ve adapted to that role?

RAMSER: I’ve tried to take it on as best as possible. I think he expects more than what I can give, because I’m not that good at yelling at the girls to pump them up. I get nervous about them getting mad at me, and I need to work on that. I have to work on being the leader that the coaches expect me to be and picking up my teammates and not degrading them. I’m always working on that.

Q: Your coach says that you are a good leader. I’m going to take him at his word. So, what do you feel like your strengths are as a leader?

RAMSER: I’m good at having fun and making people laugh, and telling them to shake it off. I’m just not good at being a (vocal) leader, as much as I am about making them feel better and letting them know that they can get the next ball.

Q: As a setter, you coach and teammates have talked about your hustle and your determination. What is it about you that gives you that desire to be great?

RAMSER: I don’t know what it is. I just feel like whatever I have to do, I’ll do everything I can not to make that ball drop. I know the team is depending on me to get it, so I have to get it.

Q: I know the people I talked to before last weekend thought you were the underdogs heading into the regional. Coach Zimmerman said he expected to win all along. Is that how you felt?

RAMSER: We did as much as we could to prepare for winning regional. Last year our goal was getting to regionals. This year it was winning regionals, and that’s what we did.

Q: What’s the feeling now that you have reached the goal your team set at the beginning of the season to win the regional and reach the state finals?

RAMSER: It really hasn’t hit me yet. I felt like, after regionals, it was just another game that we won. I think when we finally get up there, I’m going to realize, “Hey, we’re at state!” There aren’t a lot of people who get to do this in their lives. I’m really excited about that.

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