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BARABOO, Wis. — Her older siblings played hockey, so Eryn Benson grew up around the ice rink. She started playing when she was four years old.
Now, as a senior at Baraboo High School, Benson is part of the Badger Lightning, a five-school co-op girls’ hockey team.
“All these girls, we all love hockey, and we can relate to it. It’s just something we all enjoy. We like to mess around and have fun with it,” said Benson.
She’s a captain for head coach Rick Capener, who called Benson a quiet leader.
“She’s the nicest kid in the world. Over the years, if accidentally, within the game, somebody gets hurt, or she commits a penalty on somebody, she feels awful about it. That’s just who she is,” said Capener.
Benson also played tennis for Baraboo. She doesn’t have a favorite sport, but she encouraged her tennis teammates to try hitting the ice.
“She did do hockey recruiting, especially with the Freshmen. She was asking people, ‘have you ever played hockey? Oh, you should start,’” said Ashley Shefland, Benson’s tennis teammate.
Benson played doubles in tennis and earned a Most Improved Player award.
“She’s one of the most kindhearted people I’ve ever met. She always brings a smile to practice. She puts absolutely everything into practice and has such an incredible drive and passion for what she’s doing,” said Annie Langkamp, another of Benson’s tennis teammates.
Benson hasn’t picked her college yet, but she said she wants to study nursing.
“I wanted to be a veterinarian for a while. I really enjoy agriculture, but there’s a side of me that enjoys human medicine a little more,” said Benson.
She’s involved with Future Farmers of America, 4-H, National Honor Society, Student Council, and other charitable endeavors. With all her activities, she’s still managed a 3.98 GPA in high school.
“It’s just an expectation and a personal goal of mine to have good grades,” explained Benson. “I just make sure I have time throughout my day and use my time wisely.”
Balancing her activities is a lesson that sports have taught her well. Her friends said they think Benson will be a welcome addition wherever she winds up next year.
“If I could describe her as a color, it would be yellow, like so happy. She’s just a nice, warm person,” said Shefland.
And if one thing’s for certain, Benson doesn’t mind mixing it up on the ice and helping others.