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May 8, 2006
OFF THE FIELD WITH JOE STELMARK
It's often said that its better to lead by example, or that one's
actions speak louder than their words. These clichés are especially
relevant when it comes to the discussion of captains on athletic teams.
Often times, those who find themselves in leadership positions, also
usually find themselves on the field for the majority of the time.
However, what happens when a team-leader isn't one of the mainstays
between the lines, and sometimes doesn't get the chance to "lead through
action"?
An answer can be found in the story of the '06 Wolverines and more
specifically in the circumstance of senior captain, and defenseman
Joe Stelmark (Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich./Grosse Pointe South).
Elected captain by his teammates, Stelmark is in the unique position of
being one of three Wolverine captains despite his relatively limited
time on the field. Although he's far from a bench-warmer or a late-game
sub, the 6'3", 210 pounder out of Grosse Pointe Farms has found a way to
convey his messages without being a full-time player.
Looking
back, Stelmark acknowledges he never would have imagined being in this
position when he first tried out for the Wolverine squad four years
ago. But as he explains, his current position doesn't seem quite so
surprising when you examine the journey he's taken...
On growing up in Michigan
"It's funny, I was always a Michigan State fan growing up, but then I
came to Michigan and the football culture just completely encompassed
me. Initially I wanted to be a veterinarian and MSU has an excellent
school for that. I thought I'd come here and still be that kid who has
all of his State stuff up in his bedroom but that quickly changed. That
also wasn't going to work in the dorms."
On his high school lacrosse experience
"Our coaching was primarily done by other off-season coaches from other
sports, so their lacrosse knowledge was somewhat limited. They were
great guys, but we were just told to go out and hit people, and we
weren't really playing lacrosse all the time. It's interesting that
there are guys like Kaufman [junior goaltender Ryan Kaufman] and
Ferriell [junior defenseman Brad Ferriell] who have been playing since
they were kids and then there are guys like me who got a much different
experience before college."
On his initial thoughts on trying out
"I knew I wanted to come out and try it. But I also knew how hard the
tryouts were. I thought I'd just come out and play for two weeks and
that would be it. To be honest I didn't know a whole about the program
before coming here. I knew they were a club team and not varsity, but
when I got here and saw the winged helmets and started to think I might
play for Michigan it started to change. I knew they had a big talent
base to pick from so I wasn't sure what to expect."
On learning from the group in front of him
"All those guys were amazing people to work behind. Their work-ethic
was amazing and their skills were definitely there. They gave me
something to aspire to and an example to follow. That was important for
me. I put in a lot of work this summer knowing those guys were
leaving. I knew we were going to have a huge void that we could never
completely fill. Coming in as a freshman and knowing there were all
those sophomore in front of me was hard, but it really pushed me."
On whether being a captain ever crossed his mind three years ago
"I always knew we had a pretty small class, but in terms of being a
captain, I never really thought about it. When you look back at all the
captains we've had, they've always been three of four year starters so I
just thought I'd be one of those cool seniors that everyone liked and
I'd provide some comic relief sometimes."
On when he started to realize he would be in a leadership position
"When I realized we were only going to have three seniors, I really
started to think about it. I went out and bought some books on
leadership and started to really think about all the things that came
with it. You think its just about coming out here and leading the
stretches, but that's not the case at all. You can't just be one of the
guys anymore. You need to set an example. If you're fifteen minutes
early, you're late. You can't ever take a second off and its always
pushing you. You need to be a constant example."
On his relationships with his fellow captains
"Eric [Rimmke] organized the rooming last year for the three of us and I
just said sure. It's been great though. We're all there, and it works
out so well because we're always talking lacrosse. Beyond lacrosse
we've also become best friends. It's been an amazing experience."
On the small senior class
"The fact that we have one unified voice works out really well. We
never contradict each other or give mixed messages to the guys. That
helps tremendously. But on the other hand it's a little tough to lead
40 guys with only three people. The juniors have been a tremendous help
though. You can't really explain the senior experience though. It's
been absolutely amazing."
On being a captain who might not see the field as often
"I've always considered myself a practice player, even in high school.
I didn't play as much my junior season before I started my senior year
and I really learned some good habits during that time. I always try to
push myself as hard as I can and I'm always here early. I let Jimmy and
Eric do some of the more vocal stuff because that's who they are and
that's their role. Sometimes it's tough to be on the sidelines because
you always want to be in there. But you always want what is best for
the team. So you just cheer louder."
On his post-collegiate plans
"I'm going to do the Teach for America in America program so this June
I'll be in L.A. for five weeks for training and then in August I'll be
going to Las Vegas teaching fifth grade. Its funny because I always try
to compare it to this, and if I can handle 40 lacrosse players,
hopefully kids won't be too difficult. But I guess I can't make those
kids carry my bags like these guys do."
Contact: Joe Hennessy (734) 276-8493,
jjhennes@umich.edu
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