Cookeville Cavaliers soccer player Olive Stubbs gets the team pumped up with a speech before every game.
Stubbs was named captain alongside Bella Arfsten and Kenadi Shelby this season. Stubbs said she recognized the importance of the daily conversations each senior would bring.
“We would have conversations after games and when we go to the [corner] flag, they really talk about what we’re doing wrong, what we need to change,” Stubbs said. “And they’re like we love you, we’re saying this as this, but like these things need to change. And we all have such respect for the upperclassmen that when they tell us something to do, we know we need to change it.”
Stubbs will get the chance to begin those talks this season as team captain. Stubbs stands as the only junior to be nominated as team captain this season. Before every game, Stubbs will huddle at the corner flag and have those conversations with the Lady Cavaliers. Stubbs said each captain will make their opinions known.
“We talk about what we need to change and not change,” Stubbs said. “I think that’s one of the things we all love here. It’s just a big family and I feel so much love and support. It makes you want to play soccer every single day here.”
Stubbs looks to help a Cavalier team with seven seniors this season. Stubbs said the upperclassmen help with keeping everyone in check.
“It’s so much like a family here in Cookeville,” Stubbs said. “We all count on each other to keep us accountable in everything and I think it’s going to help us so much this year.”
The Cavaliers won their first two games against Livingston and Lebanon before tying in all three games of the Smoky Mountain Cup.
