Team Captains
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Team Captains
I am wondering how some teams pick their captains. Any thoughts on this?
Do the coaching staff pick them? Do they have the next years team pick them?
My feeling is this is an important role for the team, and should not be a popularity contest. A captain should be someone who can relate to the team players as well as the coaches. The coaches should just assign them.
I know of a current coach who has the team pick two player names and put their name in a hat, then they are unveiled during the banquet. Problem is, the coach ends up picking who he wants anyway. This is known because the girls talk, they know who was voted for. He is not fooling anyone.
Then he changes his rules each and every year. He opens it up for just seniors one year, then juniors one year. Even down to the Sophomore ranks one year. Just because he wants someone special in.
Do the coaching staff pick them? Do they have the next years team pick them?
My feeling is this is an important role for the team, and should not be a popularity contest. A captain should be someone who can relate to the team players as well as the coaches. The coaches should just assign them.
I know of a current coach who has the team pick two player names and put their name in a hat, then they are unveiled during the banquet. Problem is, the coach ends up picking who he wants anyway. This is known because the girls talk, they know who was voted for. He is not fooling anyone.
Then he changes his rules each and every year. He opens it up for just seniors one year, then juniors one year. Even down to the Sophomore ranks one year. Just because he wants someone special in.
However a high school coach chooses to go about this, it has to be taken seriously. If the coach is going to have the final decision, make sure the players know that. Tell them why their "votes" are not the deciding factor, if they are not. You are right, if you make it a sham process, they will know for sure and the coach will lose respect of the players. Deal with it straight up. One thing about girls, and probably boys too. There are no secrets. Make sure it's on the up and up and support your or their decisions.
Re: Team Captains
Sounds like you didn't agree with who was chosen as captains?Nordic wrote:I am wondering how some teams pick their captains. Any thoughts on this?
Do the coaching staff pick them? Do they have the next years team pick them?
My feeling is this is an important role for the team, and should not be a popularity contest. A captain should be someone who can relate to the team players as well as the coaches. The coaches should just assign them.
I know of a current coach who has the team pick two player names and put their name in a hat, then they are unveiled during the banquet. Problem is, the coach ends up picking who he wants anyway. This is known because the girls talk, they know who was voted for. He is not fooling anyone.
Then he changes his rules each and every year. He opens it up for just seniors one year, then juniors one year. Even down to the Sophomore ranks one year. Just because he wants someone special in.
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Agree that thee are many methods, but whatever is used should be transparent. Some are popularity contests and are not good measures of someone's captainworthiness.
One example that still makes me cringe, this wasn't HS, but we had one Bantam coach pick a captain because he was the tallest (the coach's own words) and presumably would appear the most authoritative.
Others methods are based on legacy or giving someone a nice college resume item or seniors only or other criteria. It's really tough to have a checklist for teammates to fill out of captain-y attributes like leadership, goal-setting, driving for success, inspiration, inclusiveness, support, team-building, etc. Again, there are some good methods and some terrible ones, but the coach should at least be honest and transparent. The kids absolutely know what is going on, to SECoach's point.
One example that still makes me cringe, this wasn't HS, but we had one Bantam coach pick a captain because he was the tallest (the coach's own words) and presumably would appear the most authoritative.
Others methods are based on legacy or giving someone a nice college resume item or seniors only or other criteria. It's really tough to have a checklist for teammates to fill out of captain-y attributes like leadership, goal-setting, driving for success, inspiration, inclusiveness, support, team-building, etc. Again, there are some good methods and some terrible ones, but the coach should at least be honest and transparent. The kids absolutely know what is going on, to SECoach's point.
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I'm a believer that there should be at least one senior in there. I've never been in favor of just giving it to the best player. A captain should be someone that can carry the coach's message to the players and the players' messages to the coach.
Do they name captains at the end of the year banquet at most schools?
Do they name captains at the end of the year banquet at most schools?
Some do. Quick way to wreck the banquet in my opinion.D6 Girls Fan wrote:I'm a believer that there should be at least one senior in there. I've never been in favor of just giving it to the best player. A captain should be someone that can carry the coach's message to the players and the players' messages to the coach.
Do they name captains at the end of the year banquet at most schools?
Or....a good time for parents and players to grow up,look in the mirror and respect the player vote or coaches decision.SECoach wrote:Some do. Quick way to wreck the banquet in my opinion.D6 Girls Fan wrote:I'm a believer that there should be at least one senior in there. I've never been in favor of just giving it to the best player. A captain should be someone that can carry the coach's message to the players and the players' messages to the coach.
Do they name captains at the end of the year banquet at most schools?
Some would think so. I feel there are many times for that, but the banquet is not one of them.36Guy wrote:Or....a good time for parents and players to grow up,look in the mirror and respect the player vote or coaches decision.SECoach wrote:Some do. Quick way to wreck the banquet in my opinion.D6 Girls Fan wrote:I'm a believer that there should be at least one senior in there. I've never been in favor of just giving it to the best player. A captain should be someone that can carry the coach's message to the players and the players' messages to the coach.
Do they name captains at the end of the year banquet at most schools?