1. Leading On and Off the Field: Being a good team captain is leading by example. In order to be a good captain, you must be giving full effort all the time because as a captain, you are going to be someone who your teammates look up to. If you’re slacking off and half doing things, they will think that if you’re doing it then so can they. It becomes a trickledown effect or “monkey see, monkey do”, to be a good example you need to set a good example. Your teammates need to see you working hard and being active during games, practices, video sessions, etc. Then they can see that effort always needs to be put in, not just during games.
2. Demonstrating Good Sportsmanship: When it comes to sports and competition, things can get heated very quickly. If you are trying to become a captain, you need to realize that the way you handle these heated moments during the game are vital. You need to be treating your opponents with respect, despite what may be said or done during the game, right or wrong. Your job as a captain is to be able to be the “bigger person” and not allow the heat of the moment to get to you.
3. Respecting Coaching Staff and Officials: During the game there are often going to be times when the referee makes a call you disagree with or your coach makes a play you think is wrong, but what you can’t do is cause a scene. There are going to be other players who are going to yell and disrespect the refs and their coaches, but that cannot be something that comes from a captain. The call from the referee may be wrong or your coach might call a play that you think is ridiculous, but you must remember to keep your head about you and refrain from starting or picking an argument.
4. Take Responsibility: One of the things about being a great leader is knowing when you’re wrong. Nobody’s perfect and by being able to own up to your own mistakes is powerful and shows that there is nothing wrong with making mistakes. It’s important for your teammates to see that even their captain doesn’t always do everything right and that if they make a mistake there’s nothing wrong with that.
5. Talk to Your Teammates: Often when you’re a captain there is the possibility of a disconnect between you and your teammates. This happens because the captain is usually put at a higher responsibility level and is looked upon for more. It’s so important as a captain to not forget that your teammates are still just as much a part of the team as you are. Don’t allow yourself to separate from the group, your job is not to teach them, you’re all learning from each other in order to become the best team possible, don’t forget that you’re all in this together.
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