Karsten Ternes is no ordinary high school soccer player.
The Wauconda junior defender’s towering 6-foot-3, 195-pound frame and advanced skill level aren’t the only reasons.
Ternes was named a captain on a senior-laden team before his sophomore season.
“A lot of teams have players vote, but I usually select at least one captain before preseason starts,” Wauconda coach Tim Miller said. “We don’t do a blind vote like other programs.
“For me and my program, it helps to have somebody I can talk with, trust and communicate to get our message to the team. I thought Karsten was ready to be a captain.”
Ternes, who displayed leadership traits early in his freshman year, was surprised by the move.
“I was excited when I was told I was a captain but also a bit nervous, being a captain as a sophomore and having to tell the seniors what to do,” he said. “I eventually got into a rhythm, and they all trusted me.”
Ternes’ father, Pete, had no doubts he could do it. Pete Ternes played soccer at Illinois State, had a brief professional stint and coached Lake Zurich’s boys and girls teams.
“I didn’t cringe when he got named a captain,” Pete Ternes said. “I knew certain older players probably were surprised at first, but Karsten leads by example.
“He’s very smart in the game of soccer, not just because of natural abilities. Karsten has been learning how to be a leader for a long time. He leads by his actions. That’s really helped set him apart to be in a leadership role. I had no hesitancy, but I knew it would be hard for him. But life is hard.”
Karsten Ternes, whose team-first attitude endears him to coaches and teammates, has received interest from numerous Division I programs, Miller said. Ternes is one of the key reasons for the strong start by the Bulldogs (4-1-2) this season.
“He’s a big and strong kid and as skilled as anybody on the team,” Miller said. “He’s fast and amazing in the air and takes most of our free kicks. He’s a weapon when moving forward, he organizes our defense and he grew up around the game. He does a lot of things that don’t show up on the stat sheet.
“He certainly has the size and skill to play at that level. Our hope is Karsten continues to play at a high level and stays healthy and continues playing and represents us at the next level.”
Ternes, who has two goals and two assists this season, said he’s motivated to follow in his father’s footsteps and play in college.
“I’ve been talking to a lot of coaches, going to a lot of ID camps at a lot of the top schools,” he said. “I think my sophomore year is when knew I had a chance for college. I was big and strong and definitely could keep up with players older than me.
“I’m excited to keep working and playing with new people with different skill levels and keep pushing for my team.”
Bobby Narang is a freelance reporter for the News-Sun.