Captains can play key role on youth teams

No matter the ages of the participants, winning relies on winning cultures.

And winning cultures depend upon players with leadership skills and quality character displayed on and off the fields of play.

Many of these players are selected as team captains, either by coaches or teammates. Captains don’t need to be designated only at older ages. isport360 believes captains should be integrated in younger programs also.

Allow me a minute to brag a little. I have two grandsons, ages 14 and 12 who from the very beginning of their athletic participation have exhibited captain qualities.

They are avid sports participants, come from a sports-loving family and take their participation seriously. They listen to their coaches, they focus on the plan at hand and support their teammates. Their coaches and teammates have recognized these attributes because of how they act on and off the field.

isport360 describes the role of captain as to “represent, lead and support your team fairly. The captains are models for your competitive team and organization. There’s not a single good reason in sports to not have a captain or two leading your team. A lot of youth sports managers and coaches may think that their players are too young.”

Why have a captain at younger ages? isport360 goes on to explain it’s important to “develop a sense of leadership and confidence at a young age. Young children learning how to communicate effectively on and off the field can be important in a players’ development. Having team captains at a young age can also develop independence which allows kids to grow by themselves without someone constantly holding their hand.

“Children love to be given tasks that they see adults do so leading their team in stretching can boost their morale.”

Some of the qualities that aid in becoming a good team captain include being a strong player, a hard worker, being respectful, trustworthy and competitive. A person doesn’t have to be the best player on the team athletically.

The author of the isport360 article, Sara Puskar, writes coaches should have the responsibility of picking out younger athletes to lead the team in warmups or tossing the coin in choosing what side of the field they want to start on, for example.

“I think it’s important that a coach picks the captains so kids don’t turn the process into a popularity contest and feel excluded because that can create unwanted tension between players,” she wrote.

“Authority figures can be intimidating. Having a team captain can be an important resource for players on your team because it gives kids a way to express their concerns or frustrations with a teammate before going directly to their coach. Captains can act as the middleman between coaches and players if their teammates need it.”

Give the young, responsible kids a chance to show their stuff, not just during competition. It’s a great way for them to stay engaged and to develop lifelong skills.

Nancy Justis is a former competitive swimmer and college sports information director. She is a partner with Outlier Creative Communications. Let her know what you think at njustis@cfu.net