Seniors athletes Heidi Williams, David Becker and John Cornelius hope to grow positivity by passing on their mindset to the younger athletes.

Black River Falls coaches have said that underclassmen have a lot to learn from senior athletes. Girls basketball player Heidi Williams shared her mindset going into her senior season.

“I am really excited to be one of the seniors for this year. I like being able to lead as an example for everybody else, and it’ll just be really nice being able to help the underclassmen and see what will be coming up next for Black River,” said Williams.

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I am really excited to be one of the seniors for this year. I like being able to lead as an example for everybody else, and it’ll just be really nice being able to help the underclassmen and see what will be coming up next for Black River.

— Heidi Williams

Williams is not the only senior that is excited for this season. Boys hockey player David Becker is also very excited for his last year. He started playing when he was three years old and has been playing for BRF ever since.

“Oh man, I can’t even express with words how excited I am for my senior season of hockey. My mindset is much different than last year because since it’s my senior year, I have nothing to lose,” said Becker.

Although Becker and Williams are excited for this year, they are also a little sad. But they’re not the only ones; wrestler John Cornelius is feeling sorrow as well. This is his fourth year at the high school wrestling level. He is hoping to make this one better than the rest. In previous years there weren’t many kids out for wrestling. This year though, there is a huge increase in numbers.

“I’m feeling sad that this is my last year just because I really enjoy wrestling, but this year we have more people coming out for the sport, so I think it will be a much better season. It’s just sad to see that it’s just going to be my last one,” said Cornelius.

Senior season changes the mindset of many athletes.

“I think my mindset this year and the previous year have been completely different than the years before. Because before I just wanted to improve, and now I want to improve but also enjoy the sport. My push to improve was something that came along with the new coaching that we have been getting over the past couple years as well as a mental change in myself,” says Williams.

Not only is Williams’s mindset changed, but being captain, she gets to take on a bit of a leadership role this year.

“It’ll be a little bit different in the sense where I get to push people around a bit more as a senior, and I get to push them to be their best, and I kind of have one of the stronger voices of our group. So I can get people to listen to me, which is nice,” said Williams.

Williams is not the only senior that is taking on a leadership role. Cornelius is also showing how he can help out the underclassmen.

“I usually make sure that everyone is actually working instead of trying to dog it during practice or during our runs, basically just trying to make sure that everyone’s working,” said Cornelius.

Becker is focusing this season on passing on his mindset to the underclassmen.

“I’m going to pass on my mindset to the underclassmen through example. They see me being positive, and so I think they’re going to be positive as well. Kind of like a Monkey See, Monkey Do situation,” said Becker.

Freshman Calvin Lakowske said that the seniors on the hockey team have a positive effect on him and that without them they wouldn’t be who they are as a team.

Cornelius has his own reasons for helping out the future of the wrestling team.

“I hope my mindset can get passed down just so the underclassmen can work hard and keep that drive up that they need to win,” said Cornelius.

Senior season is a very emotional time for many students, Williams, Becker and Cornelius included. But these three seniors are looking for all the positives throughout this year.

“I’m sad that it’s my last year, but it’s been a long road, and I will say that I’m optimistic for the future,” said Becker.