From Mark Messier and Steve Yzerman to Adam Burish and Sharon Cole, the captain of a hockey team is a sacred position. Being able to combine on-ice ability with the necessary leadership qualities is a talent only a select few possess. Wearing the "C" on your jersey is a representation of the responsibility and commitment a captain must have to their team.
So when it came time for University of Wisconsin's women's hockey team to select their 2006 captains, it almost seemed natural to have senior forward Sharon Cole donning the coveted "C" on her sweater.
"Every year when the spot is open the veterans and I get together and vote for who next captain will be," head coach Mark Johnson said. "She's very popular and well respected amongst her teammates. She has great leadership on and off the ice and she sets a good example for the team with her academic achievements. No one, including myself, was surprised when she was chosen."
Still, while the selection seemed natural to coaches and players, Cole admitted she was both surprised and honored by her selection.
"I was extremely honored to be named the captain," she said
Players and coaches alike saw in Cole what all teams must see in a captain; a leader who maintains a strong relationship to her team while still being able to motivate them on and of the ice. And that's exactly what Cole does.
"My job is to get everything organized. I need to make sure everyone is on the same page and working towards the same goal," Cole said. "I say a few words when it's needed but it's easier to communicate with everyone when your friends with them."
Cole, a Bloomington, Minn., native, has been a member of the Badgers since 2002 and has steadily increased her production every season since. She has played in nearly every game in her career and has posted at least a double-digit point total every season. The senior, who has never finished a season with below a plus-minus rating of +13, had a breakout year last year, accumulating 38 points and a +32 rating. In doing so, she held a team record with an 11-game point streak and is one of only 11 Badgers to ever record a 30-plus point season.
Not that any of those records should be a surprise from someone who played for her Bloomington Jefferson High School teams since the seventh grade and was a six-time all-conference and four-time Associated Press all-state selection during her prep days as a Jaguar.
As for this season, the Badgers (8-1-0, 6-1-0 WCHA) have been nearly flawless, thoroughly out-playing almost all their opponents. Cole, who has performed brilliantly this season, makes up one third of one of the most talented and dangerous lines in collegiate hockey. Junior Sara Bauer, sophomore Jinelle Zaugg and Cole have proven to be the go-to line for the Badgers this season and have combined for 47 points thus far, 11 of which belong to Cole.
"We're all just really clicking right now. We have a lot of different strengths and weaknesses but we complement each other very well," Cole said.
Cole, who in the midst of her senior season, has thoroughly enjoyed her time as a student athlete here at Wisconsin. As always, she has only the highest aspirations for herself and her team this season, and is looking to go out in style.
"Personally I'm just looking to play my hardest for my last year and make it a good year on the ice," Cole said. "As for the team we want to win everything, the WCHA tournament and the NCAA championship and we'll do whatever it takes to get there."
