See all posts in the Kirk’s Captain Corner series
(Kirk’s Captain Corner is a regular feature that will allow Carver County residents to get to know the student-leaders of the various teams in our high schools. Today, we feature senior Ellie Heno, Co-Captain of the Chanhassen Storm Girls Basketball team.)
When did you start playing basketball?
Third grade (8 years old)
What have you enjoyed most about playing for the Chanhassen program?
I have really enjoyed making lifelong relationships that have made basketball so fun. I’ve gotten so close with my teammates throughout the years and will be forever grateful for these girls.
This year, Chanhassen beat Chaska for the first time in 10 years. Coach Inniger cited your defense as a big reason the Storm won that game. What was it like being a part of the team to break the streak?
Unforgettable. My whole life, Chaska has been our rival and a game that everybody looks forward to. Leading up to this game, we knew we had a challenge ahead of us, but were prepared to fight as hard as we could to break that losing streak. We played as a team and worked our butts off to each do our part, and that’s exactly what we all did. I focused on doing my part and taking the game play by play which led to our 68-62 win, finally breaking the streak. I will always remember the celebration in the locker room after this game and all of the students rushing onto the court to congratulate us.
You also play softball for the Storm. What are the challenges of being a multi-sport athlete in 2025?
Being a multi-sport athlete takes determination. I have, at most, one week between the basketball season ending and the softball season starting. Playing both sports definitely keeps me busy, but they are both things that I love doing and being a part of. These sports give me an outlet for whatever may be going on in my life, so it’s worth the booked calendar.
You are really involved at Chan HS – a leader of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, a member of National Honor Society, and you are going to State in DECA! What advice do you have for other high school students about being heavily involved in high school activities?
Enjoy it. You’re only in high school for four years, and while that may sound like a long time, it flies by. Being involved in so many clubs and activities has brought me so many friendships and has taught me so many life lessons. Balancing your time with these activities might get difficult and frustrating, but it’s worth every second.
What are your plans for next year?
I plan on attending Gustavus Adolphus College in the fall. My mom went there and my sister currently goes there, so I can’t wait to get to experience what they have!!
What has it meant to you to be a team captain?
It means so much to me to be able to help lead my team to success. I love helping people and have really enjoyed being able to help people with things that I have learned through the years. It absolutely makes my day to hear people tell me how much my leadership has helped them and I hope it motivates them to do the same with future Storm girls basketball players!
