How to Select Team Captains in High School Sports

On all levels of sports, from age-appropriate recreational soccer played on worn out fields across the country each Saturday morning to the plush green grass and manicured clay of Yankee Stadium, coaches feel the necessity to name team captains. On every squad, in order to reach success, some form of leadership must appear, and it should help to guide the remaining players. Considering the psychological fact that a large group requires someone or something to follow if it wishes to make progress and remain cohesive, athletes all desire a person or a small cohort of people to act as the figure head and make decisions for the collective unit.

On the youth level, becoming a team captain might mean showing up first to practice or a game, or the job could randomly rotate each match. Coaches will allow every player to experience the captaincy, so as to promote self-esteem and foster a sense of confidence in that individual. By doing so, all the players also learn how to follow a leader, which, for a great many, exists as a difficult task. Overall, an approach of equality and sharing serves as a strong base in youth athletics; however, as the seriousness of the sport grows, so does the need for consistent, sustainable leadership.

As athletes mature, both physically and psychologically, they begin to fall into place as people. Individually, each player's character traits establish themselves, and the player begins to define himself. As a result, some athletes reveal a true desire or ability to lead, while others show a propensity for following-a good team needs both; in fact, although sounding a bit negative, a strong unit normally possesses far more followers than leaders. Some members of a team wish to stay in the backdrop, and most perform under pressure better in this capacity. Yet, for the select few who both want and know how to guide others, the job of captain becomes critical.

In high school, a period of time in an adolescent's life where self-discovery, image, and reputation can often dominate, coaches must take special care in selecting those individuals who will lead their respective teams. Often, the position becomes a popularity contest, with the job going to the most well-liked person on the club, or it will simply go to the person perceived as the best player. Coaches, however, have to protect this chance and pick wisely. Uninformed or frivolous selections could easily turn into a world of headaches as the season goes, and, in the end, cost the team dearly.

First of all, the team itself, unless trusted beyond all reproach, should never cast the deciding ballot. Taking a vote, if gone unchecked, could quickly morph from a seemingly feel-good democratic process into an American Idol-style popularity festival. Coaches who employ a voting system should do so only as a barometer to gauge the team's maturity and vision. Teams do not pick captains, coaches do. Coaches must maintain the wherewithal to handle the criticism from parents, the lament of heartbroken players, and the backlash from a variety of other places if they truly wish for the correct balance to be put in place. The players rarely see the entire picture; they never can break down the minute qualities of leadership, especially when it comes to the needs of the team itself, as these change from season to season, sport to sport. In short, a generic list passed between coaching staffs cannot exist; the process is too intimate to be standardized.

When discussing with a coaching staff who should become captain, the group must consider the direct needs of the team. Does the team need a loud presence, or does it require a more muted voiced that leads via example? Does the team need a talented person whose accomplishments will inspire, or does it call for an organized intellectual who will keep the group moving? Can the team exist with one leader, or will multiple people best suit the group? Does the captain have to be a senior, or can an underclassman guide the unit?

In high school sports, with the nature of discipline and injury, naming two or three captains may be to a team's long-term advantage. Consider the following job descriptions for a three-captain system:

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A player who possesses strong, accomplished talent, has a wealth of playing experience, and can serve as an on-field leader by example and style of play

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A player who has the respect of the other players for who he is, and he can "hold court" as the group's vocal leader

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A player who can organize and remain ultimately responsible

While the descriptions delineate specific roles for each player, all selected athletes must maintain some form of leadership. And, while again there exists no true generic guideline for selecting the perfect captain for a high school team, reflecting upon the following questions may assist a staff in determining who fits the job.

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Does the player possess peer respect?

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Do teammates want this player to succeed or fail?

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Will people listen to him?

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Do the player's parents and teachers respect him?

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Can the player accept criticism and recover?

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Does the player have mental toughness?

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How committed is the player to the game and the team?

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Does the player appreciate completing something?

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Will the player take responsibility?

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Does the player see beyond the moment? Is the player progressive and positive?

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Has the player been a leader in the past?

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Does the player have a vision for the future?

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Does the player have a healthy respect for the traditions of the program?

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Does the player seek challenge?

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What will the player do to be liked?

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Does the player have a destructive weakness?

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Is the environment the correct one for this player to succeed?

After having quality discussion about the merits and drawbacks of each player based on the team's needs, the assistant coaches should verbalize their feelings, and the head coach should make the final decision. Name the captains and begin the business of getting the team prepared. Whether the coach names the captains a year in advance-at the close of the previous season, or at some point closer to the season, these young men must be allowed and encouraged to do their jobs. They must understand the magnitude of the role they have accepted. They must accurately comprehend that with the honor comes an important, endless responsibility, and that it should never be taken for granted.

In the end, the coach must decide on his leaders and then let them go. Trust the players picked, and they will, in all likelihood, return that loyalty and trust many times over. The job of selecting captains in a high school program carries with it the chance to fail miserably, but, if done well, it can show us all what is so wonderful about scholastic athletics and adolescents in general.

Sources:

http://www.nsba.org/sbot/toolkit/leadqual.html

*I have used this website as a guide to my selections for years