Captains and Standards

The Way We Do Anything

is the

Way We Do Everything.

Standards are so very important to a teams success so it makes sense the selection of the standard bearers, or Captains, is one of the most critical decisions to be made.  I know some coaches who allow team members to decide by vote who will lead them. Other coaches refuse to allow the players to make such a crucial decision fearing a popularity vote instead of a serious objective vote. Other coaches will take a blended approach - the team votes in one Captain and the coach appoints another Captain.

In the end, the standards set for the team and enforced by the Captains are the foundation that will be built upon. Hopefully the program will have strong traditions to help guide the Captains. If not, there exists the added opportunity for your Captains to build tradition through their leadership of their team.

One of the things my teams hear ad nauseam from me is to hold one another accountable. I urge them to not allow corners to be cut in even the simplest activities. They are constantly reminded that if they cut a corner in training, they will most assuredly cut a corner in the match for the way we do anything is the way we will do everything.

Your Captains should be the players who hold themselves to the highest standards and demand that everyone else adheres to those standards as well. Only then will you have a team capable of achieving to its full potential.