Lindsey Olsen contributes to Folsom's success

Lindsey Olsen has done a little bit of every to help the Folsom High varsity volleyball team to a 15-4 start this season. While the Folsom statistics are not updated on MaxPreps, through the team's first 20 sets, the sophomore middle blocker had 20 kills, 15 aces, 10 blocks and 12 digs. Those statistics are only through 40 percent of the team's games. The Bulldogs started the season winning their first 11 matches. The team has since lost their first Sierra Foothill League match and won four of seven matches at the Christine Craft Tournament at Oak Ridge on Saturday. "Lindsey is a sophomore middle," Folsom coach Devin Elmore said. "She's incredibly hard-working, extremely coachable and has been performing at an extremely high level. She's always striving to better herself, and I couldn't be more proud of her development so far this year." Folsom Telegraph: What are your hopes/plans after graduating high school? Lindsey Olsen: After high school, I hope to play volleyball at a four-year college in California. FT: Do sports run in your family? LO: Yes they do. In high school, my mom played volleyball, basketball and softball at Oak Ridge, while my dad has played football, basketball, wrestling, and baseball. FT: How long have you been playing volleyball and how did you get your start in it? LO: I've been playing volleyball for about seven years. I started at Aspire Volleyball Club at age 8, and my mom coached me for my first four years of club. FT: You are a middle blocker? Have you always played there? Coach Elmore said he has moved several girls around to different positions? LO: I actually started out as a setter but was put into middle blocker when I was 11 and stayed ever since. Coach Devin has switched up positions for people quite a bit, like Grace Gulbrandsen who was a setter but is now an outside/DS, Lila Jarvis was turned middle hitter to outside hitter. Coach is still going to try people in different positions and see what dynamic works best for the team. FT: What do you like about being a middle blocker? LO: Being a middle is fun because the hits I run are very quick and there are so many hits to do, and blocking the other team is always fun. FT: How do you feel your sophomore season is going? How are you playing? LO: I'm enjoying my sophomore year so far and love my teammates. Although we had nine seniors graduate last year, our team is strong with skilled players and everyone has lots of potential. Coach Devin is helping the whole team grow and I can't wait to see where he takes us. FT: Have you set any goals for yourself this season? LO: Being a middle specializes in hitting and blocking, but this season I aim to also work on passing and also get some practice as a pin hitter. FT: The Bulldogs have had a good start to the season. Why would you say your team has been successful? What does the team do well? LO: I believe our success is due to Coach Devin, as he's helped us improve many skills and introduced new ones. One thing we do well is make smart plays and come back from mistakes. Everyone on the team is very close, which helps us trust each other during games, and we're always supporting each other. FT: What's your favorite subject in school? LO: My favorite subject is math. FT: Do you have a favorite genre of music or a favorite singer/group/rapper? LO: Two of my favorite artists are The Neighborhood and Tyler the Creator. FT: Favorite food? LO: Kiki's fries and green grapes. FT: Do you have any pets? Tell us about them? LO: I have two cats named Lily (calico) and Lucy (cow). Lily is basically a dog in a cat's body and very social, while Lucy is more of a scaredy cat but very loving to my family. FT: Do you have any hobbies? What do you like to do in your free time? LO: I enjoy painting as a hobby. In my free time I love to hang out with friends or listen to music while chilling at home. FT: What inspires you in sports? LO: What inspires me to play sports is being a part of a team that works hard together, succeeds together, and making lasting memories with my teammates. FT: Is there a particular job or profession you'd like to have some day? LO: I'd want to own my own company some day or be a senior executive of a company.