Becoming the new captain can be a fun and challenging experience.
As the new captain, one of the first skills you need to master early in the season is how to juggle your roles as peer and leader to your teammates.
Here are 3 tips to multitask your roles as teammate and captain.
Earn their respect from the start
- As captain, one way to solidify your new role in the eyes of your teammates is to lead by example.
- From practice to game day, it’s crucial that you act the way you would want your teammates to act.
- This means keeping a positive, encouraging attitude throughout the season and making sure that you are putting all or your effort, focus and time into having a successful season.
- By showing your team how to be responsible they will not only respect you as their captain, but they will more than likely follow your lead.
Show that you care
- Be there for your teammates, during the good or bad.
- If you see that they are struggling with a move or drill, break it down step-by-step and encourage them with constructive feedback. Sometimes the advice of a fellow peer will sink in better than hearing it from a coach.
- Don’t forget to be there when they succeed too!
- Congratulate your teammate(s) when they master a move they’ve spent months or if their game day performance was a personal best.
- Being there for your teammates will show that you care and want to see them succeed during the season.
Don’t doubt yourself
- It takes time to evolve into the captain you want to be.
- Throughout the season you’ll make mistakes (which is OK, you’re human after all), and have moments of success.
- You were chosen as the captain because your coach saw that you had the drive, determination, and leadership qualities that are required to have a successful team and season.
- Don’t stress, you got this!
- Make the season enjoyable
- Being the captain can be a daunting task, but at the end of the day make sure your team is having fun and that you are meeting the expectations that your coach set for you.
- Your teammates will understand the pressure you are under and will give you the respect and benefit of the doubt that every captain deserves.
- Enjoy the season and remember to reach out to your coach if you need advice or help leading the team.