BAYFIELD
A hug from head coach Jen Zelinski greeted all four Bayfield High School girls soccer seniors before their Senior Day win against Salida.
Whether by the alphabet’s grace or careful planning, her younger sister Andrea Zelinski stood last in line.
Her hug, however, lasted the longest, and the coach had a simple message to the player, from one sister to another: “Don’t make me cry.”
At least the sisters, who are separated by 13 years in age, both could take solace knowing it wouldn’t be their last game together.
BHS played Saturday, another win, and will face Manitou Springs at 5 p.m. Friday in the first round of the CHSAA Class 3A State Championships in Broomfield.
Their coach-player relationship began when the Zelisnki family moved from Salt Lake City to Bayfield when Andrea was in elementary school.
Jen already had wrapped up her four-year playing career at Fort Lewis College (2002-2005) and played one year professionally for the Albuquerque Asylum in New Mexico.
“There’s no money in it, and I had to get a job,” Jen said. “So I got hired (at BHS) to teach.”
At that point, the Zelinski family still was looking at potential places to live in the area. They didn’t know Jen would be working in Bayfield when they decided to move.
“We traveled down here to watch Jen play at the Fort for four years. We thought it would be nice for Andrea to grow up and be near her sibling,” said Sherry Zelinski, Jen and Andrea’s mother. “I did not know, because we had actually bought land in Bayfield before Jen even got the job at Bayfield High School. That fell into place.”
Andrea started playing soccer in the parks and recreation system, with her older sister coaching her and teaching her lessons in the backyard.
The pair’s relationship also shifted.
“When she was younger, I took more of a motherly role, and we battled a little bit head-to-head when she was young,” Jen said. “It’s just part of my personality. Her dad’s not around, so I took on that role and learned that I need to let my mom do that, because it was hurting our relationship, because I didn’t like her boyfriends and things like that.”
Once Andrea started making “better decisions,” Jen said, the pair’s relationship grew stronger.
So much so that they both call the other their best friend.
“I don’t know what I’m going to do without her when I go to college,” Andrea said.
The bond the Zelinski sisters share off the pitch helps them succeed on it.
Andrea respects Jen’s opinions after watching her older sister play at the level she’s trying to reach, and Jen understands where her younger sister is coming from and how to motivate her.
“I know that I can yell at her and push her, but I also know when she’s emotional, when she’s struggling, and I can pick her back up. Coaching isn’t just about going out there and winning, you have to get to know your players,” Jen said. “Some players can respond to yelling and some can’t. She can do both, and that’s one of the benefits to being her sister is I know when I’m pushing her too far.”
Andrea’s coach next year will have to learn that balance anew. She will play for head coach Nichole Ridenour at UC-Colorado Springs after recommitting herself to soccer before this season.
Basketball was Andrea’s sport, but she fell away from it and stopped enjoying it. Then, during the boys soccer season this past fall, Andrea decided she wanted to play soccer in college.
Both sisters then set off on a whirlwind tour, contacting coaches and creating recruiting site profiles, before Andrea narrowed it down to three schools.
UC-Colorado Springs eventually won out, and she’ll play in the same Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference her sister did.
“I am glad that she’s there, so I can go and see her play,” Jen said. “It’s cool that she’s playing in the same league I played in and she’ll play against my alma mater.”
The decision wasn’t entirely about following in her older sister’s footsteps, though.
“I definitely look up to her, but I’m trying to make my own path,” Andrea said.
kgrabowski@durangoherald.com
No. 14 Bayfield vs. No. 19 Manitou Springs
A look at Friday’s CHSAA Class 3A girls soccer tournament game:
Who: No. 14 Bayfield Wolverines vs. No. 19 Manitou Springs Mustangs.
What: Round 1 of the CHSAA Class 3A Girls Soccer State Championships.
When: 5 p.m. Friday
Where: Jefferson Academy, Broomfield
No. 14 Bayfield Wolverines (11-2)
Colors: Purple, gold, black.
Enrollment: 422.
Head Coach: Jen Zelinski, 8th season.
League: 3A Region 5.
Mascot: Wolverines.
Players: Makenna Cowan, Maddy Duran, Lexi Fleming, Missy Helton, Bryannah Isiordia, Savannah Kaufmann, Alyssa Knapp, Lydia Larson, Koya Maniss, Brianna Martinez, Kailee Millard, Sydney Milner, Meaghan Mooney, Taylor Morris, Caitlyn Phillips, Emily Popke, Sophie Turner, Andrea Zelinski
No. 19 Manitou Springs (9-6)
Colors: Green, gold
Enrollment: 468.
Head Coach: Ben Mack, 3rd season.
League: 3A Region 2.
Mascot: Mustangs.
Players: Jen Cole, Kaylin Cole, Maddie Dyer, Georgia Findlay, Monique Heiniger, Alyssa Holladay, Taylor Holladay, Jaycie Kaltebacher, Abby Kingman, Emma Lichina, Brooklyn Mack, Kasidee Palmer, Dani Pinto, Ashley Ramos, Katelinn Root, Meaghann Root, Riley Snyder, Morgan Warren.
The Durango Herald
