Captains - Seven Ways to Lead Your Team

Congratulations on being a leader on your team. Don’t leave this season, or this experience to chance. You only have a few opportunities like the one you are about to begin. Do everything within your power to work with coaches and teammates to create a great experience. Being a great leader or captain will still not ensure a winning season on the scoreboard, but leading your team correctly can guarantee great memories and friendships and give you a better chance for victories.

There are lots of ways to lead a team. You may already have a positive blueprint of how to lead from the captains of past teams, but if you don’t this booklet contains seven keys to team leadership. As you will see, sometimes you lead by being in front, and at other times the most effective leadership happens when you are supporting others and staying out of the spotlight. The first step to leading others is to know yourself. You need to identify and use your natural gifts as well as identify and build on your leadership weaknesses. You may not have ever been comfortable taking a stand or talking in front of people, but you have been chosen to lead and you need to assess your abilities and learn strategies of leadership. There may be some parts of leadership where you are going to need growth and others where you may need to delegate to others who have those natural gifts. To lead a team effectively, not all the leaders have to have the same strengths; you only need to have them all collectively between those on your leadership team. The partnership and communication with your coach may be the most important key to your success. Coaches and captains who are communicating on the same page from the beginning to the end of the season provide one of the main keys to success. Never hesitate to ask for help from your coach. Constantly be searching for ways to be a better leader.