“I think when my teammates and coaches think about me, they think about my effort,” Prior Lake athlete Preston Jelen said to Northstar Football. “I believe I have been the hardest working player on the varsity team for the last…
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Subscribe Already a subscriber? Log in“I think when my teammates and coaches think about me, they think about my effort,” Prior Lake athlete Preston Jelen said to Northstar Football. “I believe I have been the hardest working player on the varsity team for the last three years. I am the type of player that stays after practice to do extra work and conditioning. I think my effort is part of the reason why I was voted captain this year. On the field, I am versatile. My coaches can put me at any position and trust me. I am a physical player, but I also use my speed to make plays. Last season my team went 5-5. Three of the losses came in the last 45 seconds. I don't believe our record reflected who we were. Multiple opposing head coaches told our head coach we were the hardest hitting team they faced. We were a defensive-minded team. I think the biggest highlight of the season was the way our team came together to form a family. As a team, we learned to focus on the things that we can control: attitude, preparation, and effort.”
High expectations are prevalent once again for Prior Lake this fall.
“During the winter, I lifted and ran with my teammates in the Prior Lake strength and conditioning program,” Jelen explained to Northstar Football. “I also trained with Tyrone Carter, the great former Gopher and Steeler DB. This is my second year training with him and he has improved my technique, speed, agility, and football IQ tremendously. I played lacrosse during the spring. We made it to state in lacrosse last year and won state the previous year. I have very high expectations for this season. Like most other teams, our ultimate goal is to win a state championship. Obviously everyone wants to win state, but we really want to focus on one week and one opponent at a time. During the spring, the upcoming seniors met and established a list of more specific goals. I also have high expectations for myself. I plan on making a big impact on offense and defense. As a captain, I want to show my teammates that they can trust me and I want to be someone they will follow into battle. A goal I set for myself is to be All-State.”
