team captains...

[jay]

i coach a 14U 'travel' team. i have an individual who is a leader amongst the rest both vocally and by example.

i've toyed with the thought of going through the formal process of naming her team captain and placing a 'c' on her jersey to send a message to the rest of the team that she is our leader...while i believe the consensus from the group would be that she already is.

wonderding if anyone has any direct experience with this. i know it's not normally a fastpitch or even a baseball thing but from a leadership standpoint, she is a cut above the rest and i'm wondering if going through the formal process of naming her team captain is more risk than reward or vice versa...

curious if it may put undo pressure on her and of the impact on the rest of the team by each of them not being named team captain.

curious what your thoughts are...

 

[starsnuffer]

I usually make captains out of the ones that need to LEARN leadership skills, not the ones that already demonstrate it, however, the only hard fast rule I have is that it will never be a pitcher or the child of a coach.

-W

 

[JAD]

We rotate the 'team captain' to difference girls every week based on their preformance, effort, attitude, ect during that weeks practice and our last tournament. The girls view it as an award similar to giving a player a 'game ball'.

 

[mad hornet]

How would doing this benefit the team?

 

[nanotech14]

IMO,You may be put your team at risk,it is a slippery slope.If things are working well right now,why take the chance?Remember these are teenagers.

 

[redhotcoach]

I think it has to be totally your call, because you really have to know the girls.

Just me, my tb team it would work. The girls all get along and would be proud of whoever was honored. My rec team, 12 girls, 8 of the girls are from 4 different tb teams, it wouldnt be good. The girls get along, but I do see girls whispering to each other and some clicky things going o .

 

[quincy]

I have mentioned this before; DD has been the Team Leader for all her Teams. She has a disproportional impact on her Teams then her ability dictates. Manger told her to be the Team Leader and everything feel apart, she does not want to be a Team Leader. She just wants to be herself and does not want the responsibility.

If it is not broke, do not try to fix it.

 

[CoogansBluff]

How would doing this benefit the team?

That's my question. I wouldn't do it just to reward the player. I'd find other ways to do that.

 

[starsnuffer]

Democracy is a failed experiment. For adults the lowest common denominator gets elected, for teenagers, it becomes a popularity contest to elect a captain.

In this case, I think you need to define the duties of a team captain, and then figure out where to go from there. It seems like you're just trying to determine a title for a stand-out player. Keep in mind that among many girls (not all), there is no desire to stand out from the pack. This is very different then groups of boys, so I'm guessing the OP is a man calling from his own experience.

What is your team captain going to do? Lead warmups? Insure the dugout is picked up between games? Lead players conferences and call time on the field when required? Are these duties to belong only to the team captain and no one else, and if not, what is the purpose of assigning them to the captain?

-W

 

[Momo'sDad]

I respectfully allow other coaches to run their teams the way they feel is best for them, but since you have posted on a public forum, I will say that I'm a bit puzzled by your stated intent to 'send a message to the rest of the team'.

Our team leaders are given the responsibility of managing portions of the on-field activities for the entire team, from making sure the team puts the bases into place (and then back in the box after practice) to actually running drill stations like sliding or bunting. I also expect them to make sure the team clears the dugout without the Team Mom having to get involved.

When we have games, we often rotate players for the pregame meetings with the umpires and other coaches/team 'captains'.

This is on an everyday basis and we do it without any of the players having formal titles.