Churchill’s trio leading the charge

By Stefan Kubus –

For Livonia Churchill senior Jimmy Lelekatch, being selected as captain of his high school hockey team meant realizing a boyhood dream.

He is one of three players to sport the ‘C’ for Churchill this season, a team coming off a regional championship last year. For Lelekatch, the captaincy role comes with a profusion of responsibility, but also an abundance of honor, something he doesn’t take for granted.

“I felt great being chosen as a leader for the team I had always dreamt of playing on as a kid,” Lelekatch said. “To be a captain of Churchill hockey means a lot to me. I get to represent my school every day when I’m on the ice, and when I’m not.”

Along with Lelekatch, seniors Jake Otto and Nick Proben all serve as captains for the Division-1 Chargers. Since most clubs roll with a captain and one or two alternates, having three players wear the ‘C’ is quite a unique situation for a hockey team. But for Chargers head coach Pete Mazzoni, he said the ‘C’ is ultimately just a letter, and confidently believes these players have all the right tools to lead this team going forward.

“I always look for maturity, responsibility, and good decision-making,” Mazzoni said. “These three guys serve as a liaison for the coach and team. They aren’t afraid to do what’s right, as opposed to what’s popular…whether you have captains, co-captains, alternates – they’re all leaders with the same responsibilities.”

This isn’t unfamiliar territory for four-year players Otto and Lelekatch, either, as they both served as captain and alternate captain for Churchill last year, respectively. The 17-year-old Proben is also used to being a team leader, having previously served as part of the leadership core for his Livonia Knights travel team. His older brother, Josh, also played under Mazzoni for Churchill.

Lelekatch, who said his work ethic and hard-working demeanor can be attributed to his upbringing, had been a captain for his Plymouth Stingrays team as a bantam, as well as for his St. Michael’s Lacrosse team in middle school. It’s easy to see that the Churchill locker room is in no short supply of leadership.

Many coaching staffs often appoint their own captains. Mazzoni, however, in his 12th season behind the Chargers bench, has his players vote on filling the captaincy positions, so that the leaders are chosen by those who know them best – their peers in the locker room.

“They have to have the respect of their teammates,” said the Churchill bench boss. “They’re in charge of keeping them all on the same page, helping out with an extra set of eyes when the coaches aren’t around.”

Otto, on the verge of his 18th birthday, certainly gained the respect of his teammates when he was voted in as a captain for his second straight season.

“I was honored,” said Otto, the four-year Charger. “Being picked by my teammates means they really look up to me and depend on me. Even if we’re losing, I won’t be down. I’ll always be picking up the team, trying to help us win.”

Proben said that by filling the captaincy position, he hopes he can inspire other younger players in the bleachers who come to watch the team compete.

“[Being captain] demonstrates leadership, and I hope it brings motivation to everyone that wants to become a captain one day,” Proben said. “Everyone is looking up to me really.”

The captaincy position calls for just that type of attitude, too. Otto said making the team as a freshman was extremely beneficial to his development not only as a player, but as a guiding hand for the club, as well. These remarkable young leaders attribute the qualities that earned them the ‘C’ to their upbringings and past life experiences.

“As a freshman, looking up to the leaders we had then helped so much,” Otto said.

“My family has a big impact in my life and they always tried to teach me how to be a good leader as I was growing up,” said Lelekatch, who plans on attending University of Michigan-Dearborn after high school.

“I’ve developed the qualities I have today mostly from my parents growing up and my coaches over the years,” Proben said.

Serving your team as captain provides opportunity, as much as it provides responsibility. For Proben, he said that he embraces the ability to be a mentor for the younger players in the locker room, in addition to representing his school.

“They all depend on me and look up to me,” said Proben, an honor roll student with aspirations of attending Michigan State University. “If they need help with something, they can ask me, and I can help out.”

Along with it being a tremendous honor, this dynamic and humble trio also agreed on one strong theme: at the end of the day, having a letter on your sweater is no different from not having one on your sweater.

“There is really no difference in being a captain or not,” Lelekatch said. “Either way, I’m still a senior expected to lead the team.”

“Everyone can be a leader,” said Otto. “It means being a role model on and off the ice, and being respectful.”