When one plays for a team like Divine Savior Holy Angels – a girls high school that has finished in the top three for more than a decade – things like playoffs, nationals and titles are on the radar before the school year even begins. The Dashers are cruising through the Wisconsin Girls High School league, now 3-0 after a 50-0 win over Appleton, but nothing is being taken for granted. Even the team’s best, most senior players appreciate every step that builds to the national tournament.

No one is more emblematic of the drive and talent that propels DSHA than Maggie Brennan. The 17-year-old center is a three-time All-State selection and former High School Championship All-Tournament team member, and one coach John Klein’s star pupils.

“Maggie is very bright and coachable and she maximizes her potential through consistent hard work,” Klein commended. “She is mentally very strong and refuses to lose. Maggie is truly a special talent but more importantly she is an amazing person, and we are fortunate to have her be a part of this team.”

The aforementioned are just a few reasons why Brennan is DSHA’s captain, and she’s tasked with keeping the team motivated and on point through a very long season.

“Every game prepares us in different ways for different challenges that we face,” Brennan said. “If we are doing things right, by the time we get to the State and Midwest tournaments, we should be fully prepared, with the help of our opponents, to face any and all obstacles that come our way. This way, things don’t get overwhelming, so that we can keep focus and hopefully maintain our winning streak!”

Becoming overwhelmed seems a real possibility. In addition to playing 15s in the fall and spring, the Dashers have tacked on a 7s season that takes them through the end of the school year (DSHA won the 2013 High School 7s Challenge in Philadelphia). Couple that schedule with the program’s tradition of winning, and the pressure begins to mount.

But Brennan knew what she was getting into when she joined the team her freshman year – her older sister, Kate, was a senior on the rugby team. Maggie’s idol, Kate brought the sport to life for her younger sister and embodied the winning spirit of DSHA.

“I was definitely aware of the team’s winning record, but instead of intimidating me, it made me excited to be a part of something that, from the start, expected nothing short of greatness; not only as rugby players, but as individuals,” Brennan said. “The mentality of our players to strive for that greatness, instilled by our coaches, is what makes me so proud to scream, ‘Dominate!’ before every game and after every practice.”

For the most part, Divine Savior Holy Angles does dominate, and the team is lucky to have teams like Catholic Memorial to provide solid competition (unlike some of the other top-tier teams around the country). But DSHA has finished third at nationals for the past several years, and that championship match is a place to which the Dashers want to return.

“Henry Thoreau once said, ‘What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals,’ and I think this quote really applies to our view of our previous third-place finishes. Regardless of the numerical place, we all end up looking back on a great season full of hard work, team bonding, and great memories, all of which I would never want to alter. Overall, DSHA is always proud in what we do as long as we try our best and leave as decent human beings.”

With that said, Brennan thinks this year’s team has a shot at winning the national title.

“Compared to years past, our team is starting to think about that national title significantly earlier, and because of this we are working harder to hone the skills we can control, such as fitness and fundamentals,” Brennan said. “Also, it cannot go without notice that we are a team with majority seniors, and as a result, have a lot more experienced players than years before. Finally, we have placed a special focus on the development and success of our second side that was not allotted as intensely in previous years. As they advance in their skills, the first side benefits and similarly advances.”

There a bunch of steps before that national title possibility, but Brennan is already looking beyond it. As a senior, she’s begun applying to colleges. It’s clear that academics are the top concern for Brennan, but she is interested in playing at club-sport level.

“Maggie has the work ethic and drive to take her as far as she wants to go in this game,” coach Klein said. “I truly believe you can have all the talent in the world, but it will never be recognized without work ethic.”

And fortunately for Divine Savior Holy Angels, Brennan has two more seasons to push her and her teammates to their potential.