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Effective Leadership Roles Captains of sports teams are given the stereotype that they are the most athletic player on the team, scoring the most goals and handling the ball best. In truth, captains have a lot of work they have to do that doesn't even involve playing the sport. Captains are the most looked at player of the game; other players, younger kids and coaches look to them to set examples. They have to set examples in every aspect of the game; athleticism might be part of their job but it is not limited to it. The captain of any sports team must set the leadership standard for commitment, confidence, intelligence, and attitude.
Any captain of a sports team must be committed and dedicated to their team. A captain must ensure that they are present and on time for every practice and game which he or she is intended to be at. Captains have many roles during practices, they are the first one there helping set up drills and organizing the practice. They need to make sure everyone is on the playing area on time and leading the warm-ups. The captain must lead by example by showing that he or she is there to practice or play his or her best and that everyone should give it their all, all the time (Mosher, 1981). They need to show that nothing else matters when that are playing or practicing; everyone's mind should be strictly focused on the coach if he or she is talking, or the play they are working on, or the game they are in.
The captain must be a strong leader and show dedication towards his or her sport. As well as being dedicated to be at all the team's events, the captain must have the commitment to know all the plays and roles of all the positions. He or she is the key person that everyone looks up to; if someone is confused about a play, they must be able to go to his or her captain and find the answer they are looking for. The captain must be available before and after the practice to answer any questions put forward by his or her team mates (Brearley, 2000).
The captain should be like an instruction manual for anyone who needs it, he or she will help show and tell others how to do a job. Another major role for the captain is to be committed to talk to the players and the coaches and be the link between them. The captain must ensure that there is a constant flow of communication between the players and coaching staff. To accomplish this, the captain must be familiar with the players and the coaches. Team meetings called by the captain and individual conversations are two methods of establishing player / coach bonds (Mosher, 1981). The captain also must have the ability to understand the ideas and feelings of others so they can discuss thoughts and emotions with those concerned.
The captain is on both the coaching staff and the playing team, and must place him or herself in the right position to help both sides. (See Figure 1. ) The captain must relay messages from the coach to the players and vice versa. The captain must always ensure that they are confident about themselves on and off the playing field. No team wants to follow a captain who is afraid of a situation or the opposition. They must feel positive about his or her physical ability and must know that they are capable of performing their best at all times. Athletic ability is important because the captain must be a starter (Mosher, 1981). They must be dedicated to working hard in practice and in the gym.
If they or someone else is injured it should be a rule enforced and followed by everyone not to try to play through the pain, and he or she has to know when to rest and until his or her injury is completely healed. Even though he or she is the captain they can't try to be a hero because they might end up doing serious damage and sit out for a longer period of time. Captains have to learn not to be a smart-mouth or show off on the field. If he or she are good they will show it in their playing, not what they are saying.
The captain has to notice the line between confidant and being cocky. As well as being confident in their playing, the captain must be certain of his or her mental aptitude. Captains mental ability is crucial during his or her game, they must be able to make quick game deciding choices. The captains role often spills over to off the playing area since they are frequently the first one interviewed by media and they must have the ability to express themselves readily and effectively (Mosher, 1981). Captains might also be popular within the community and have people coming and talking to them who they do not know. They must have the patience and ability to withhold a conversation with them without looking rushed or uncomfortable.
Captains have a lot sitting on their shoulders and he or she must be able to sort through it all and find the right solution or answer they are looking for. On top of all the pressure the captains are receiving, they must always have confidence in his or her emotional stability. Captains always must always keep their cool, there should never be an instant where a captain flies off the handle and loses it. He or she should be the one that calms the rest of the team down to ensure that mouthing off or violence never occurs. Captains know that players are there to play a sport not to fight and the captains from each team have to work together to keep the game under control (Krayeske, 1974).
Captains can not let little things bother them, they have bigger problems to deal with like making sure that the rest of the team remains calm and plays their game to their full potential. Captains always have to be calm, cool and collected during the heat of the game. Most players know the rules of the sport they are playing, but the captain must know all the rules and have the right attitude to debate them. Before the positions and plays the first thing captains should learn about their sport are the rules. The captain is the only player allowed to challenge referees about a call they made, so they must be positive of what they are saying (Krayeske, 1974). Since the captain also helps make up the plays for the team, they must make sure that they follow all the rules of the game.
Not only does the captain have to make sure he or she obeys the rules, they have to enforce that the other players on his or her team follow them as well. Sometimes younger players might be confused about a call and the captain may have to inform him or her why it was called or not called. Captains are required to know all the rules inside and out of their certain sport. In addition to being familiar with the rules, captains must know the fundamentals of the sport. The fundamentals include knowing certain aspects of the game as well as playing it.
As previously stated, the captain has the most interaction with the referees and several situations arise before, during, and after the game. The captain has to know all the procedures that they go through with the referees and the other captain. The fundamentals can be learned from parents, coaches, or watching others play; but it is important that they know how they are performed (Mosher, 1981). Captains should also be the least with penalties and errors on the team. The captains must know the basics of being a captain and of the sport.
Going hand in hand with the fundamentals and rules of the sport is the attitude and intelligence towards the game. The captain must always have a positive attitude about players, coaches, other teams, and the referees (Brearley, 2000). Negative attitude only brings negative effects like bad playing, swearing, and violence. The captain must also have the intelligence to analyse situations on and off the playing area. If there is friction between one of his or her team mates and someone from the other team, or someone is not playing up to par, the captain needs to take action and remove his or her player from the playing area. Also if something happens with a player not during the game the captain should be involved for support or stopping depending on the situation.
In small hockey towns, for example, all the young children in the town look up to the captain of the local hockey team. If the captain is seen doing something wrong, it is looked negatively upon; he or she must keep a positive status for themselves and for the team. The captain must have the intelligence to dissect problems that have to do with his or her team. The captain has the potential to effect more results than the assistant coach and / or even the head coach.
Captains leave effects on others on every level and interact with everyone; they have the capability of influencing the coach and teaching other players. Captains must ensure that they never step out of line and must keep his or her team in order. They have to have his or her mind on the sport constantly, and always be aware of what they are doing. Captains will always have a lot on their shoulders and coaches should look for more in a captain than just athletic ability.
They should also look for commitment, confidence, and intelligence to ensure they choose the best person to lead their team to the championship.
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