Just wanted to get everyone's thoughts on team captains.

Do you pick or do you let the players vote?
What responsibilities to they have?
Do you have a special 'Captains Code of Conduct?"
How do you recognize them (patches, arm band, tshirt)?
How much power do you give them?
ect.

We've never really worried about captains in the past, never had to. We've seen an increase in lack of motivation and work ethic. Reading some of threads on here, we're not the only ones seeing the drop off in this dept.


I have some ideas on what I would like to do differently this coming season, which is right around the corner!! However, I wanted to get some thoughts from people that have been doing this a lot longer than I have.

Also, can anyone recommend any good leadership reading material? I was thinking about giving my captains a book or something along those lines. Keep in mind, unless it's a comic book with lots of pictures, it would have to be fairly short in length.

Thanks!

BTW, I know this has been a topic before. Just thought I'd refresh it and see if anyone else had anything to offer or a new spin on the whole thing.

My daughter was recently named captain on her varsity tennis team. However, the coach took the easy way and named ALL 6 seniors as captains. So my daughter feels like it's meaningless.

I asked her, "What if the coach only picked 2 or 3 and you weren't one of them?". She said she wouldn't have liked that either. At least it would've been honest and she would have to live w/ "everyone's not cut out to be the captain". Of course, many times, it's just the best players on a team, whether or not they display any real leadership qualities - especially if you let the players vote.

TheRick-
I make it a detailed process. Any varsity-level player that wants to be a captain (and I've had non-senior captains a few times) 1st picks up an application. The application asks some key questions about WHY this individual thinks they should be a captain, what they believe a captain should be, etc. It requires them to DO something to become captain, not just have it handed to them.
2nd, I choose a number of the applicants and set up actual interviews. My players must dress up like a business interview and I ask them questions about the team, being a captain, etc. I like this part because it makes them understand the seriousness and importance of the captainship.
Finally, I meet with my coaching staff and we decide on who to make captain and how many captains we want. I've had anywhere from 1-3 captains over the years - really just depended on the kids.
**I'm not sure you NEED the process to be so in depth, but I think a captain must embrace the role. Coach Knight

Coach Knight,

Do you have your form with the questions on it and would you please share? Last 2 years captains were picked by kids and that didn't work out. This coming year I have no clear leaders.

? Have you ever had a non-starter as a captain?

I haven't yet, but see it coming if the kids continue to vote.

I did have to bench my Catain this past year. Sent a message, unfortunately it also seemed to split the team. With only 2 games left, it was hard to tell.

Coach Knight please send to: clabeots@baraboo.k12.wi.us

I had some crafty old coaches. They always had the kids vote for team captains. But THEY counted the votes. It made for quality control. Kids were involved, coaches got who they wanted. He did it for years and nobody ever figured it out until after we graduated.

Our coaches select the captain or co-captains---case closed---itis not a popularity contest

we've done a couple formats, usually depends on the numbers, I've had two player picks and two coaches picks, also one and one.

Thinking more a Leadership Council, having the program (Varsity/Jv A/JV B) pick 5, not necessarily seniors, but leaders, have a rep from each team, to talk to about concerns such as input on rules, player concerns, chemistry issues, etc. kind of a player liason to the coaching staff.

We work our kids together, that way our older players help mold the younger.

I have seen this done with success, and the players take pride and feel like they have some say in the program.

I never had any captains in all my years, didn't need none. Through the years of playing for me, all the players would know that the "leaders" would always be the seniors. I know, some years I would have 6, 7, maybe 8 seniors playing for me, but that's how it was. I never believed that putting a kid on a "pedestal" above other players. I felt like that would take away from the "team" concept.

Unless there's an official role for a captain as in hockey or football in dealing with game officials, I believe it's a useless title. Captains don't lead. Leaders lead.

When my son was in 8th grade some mothers complained he was about to be co-captain of a sport for the fifth consecutive sports season. The principal told the baseball coach not to select my son. He didn't care. His was response was, "Who do you think they listen to on the field?"

My daughter was one of those "all five seniors are captains" scenes. Four of them chose their own style of leadership and led in their own way. It ranged from one being the "Don't worry about it, shake it off" to the "In your face, that's not how we conduct ourselves on this team" with the first year varsity players.

quote:

Originally posted by RJM:
Unless there's an official role for a captain as in hockey or football in dealing with game officials, I believe it's a useless title. Captains don't lead. Leaders lead.

When my son was in 8th grade some mothers complained he was about to be co-captain of a sport for the fifth consecutive sports season. The principal told the baseball coach not to select my son. He didn't care. His was response was, "Who do you think they listen to on the field?"

My daughter was one of those "all five seniors are captains" scenes. Four of them chose their own style of leadership and led in their own way. It ranged from one being the "Don't worry about it, shake it off" to the "In your face, that's not how we conduct ourselves on this team" with the first year varsity players.

That's exactly how I feel about it RJM. Each leader had a different role but they would take it upon themselves figuring out which role that would be.