Senior ski team captain Andrew Michalik describes his role and his hopes for his team this season.

Q: How do you guys think you have done this season? Above or below expectations?

A: “I think that both the boys’ and girls’ teams [performed] above expectations. The boys have done much better this year than they have other years; we are actually competitive this year.”

Q: What are your goals for the rest of the season?

A: “Right now all we have left is States. But for me, I want the rest of the season to be a fun time, have the team be a fun time and have States be a good day [for competition].”

Q: What has allowed you guys to become so close on the team? Do you think this has played into performance at all?

A: “Yeah, I think it has played into performance a good amount, like us pushing each other to do well. We don’t have a super big team this year, which has allowed us to connect with each other. It seems like everyone is friends with one another; we switch it up going on the chair lift together and we all hang out and we’ve all connected.”

Q: What does being a captain mean to you?

A: “You are our coach’s right hand man and you help him with whatever. Whatever [Coach] Wayne says is law, so you don’t really get to make decisions, but you get to lead the team and help Wayne with anyone he needs help with.”

Q: What is the best piece of advice you’ve gotten from a past or current teammate on how to become a better competitor?

A: “The best advice I’ve been given is from my past captains, like Andrew Carlucci or Andrew Cammarano. They give me not only just technique advice, but also advice on how to approach a run and race, [to] focus on the skills that we’ve practiced and push as hard as you can.”