Responsibilities of the Captain/Co-Captain:
- Responsibility – a moral obligation or duty; a charge or trust.
- Team – a group of people participating in a sport together.
- Captain – the leader of a team, as in sports
Help the coach.If we coaches have allowed for you to be captain there is a reason; we trust your leadership skills and that you will be a great asset to the success of this team. You are the captain, a team leader; it is your responsibility to not only help your other teammates but your coach as well. It is not your duty to try to take the leadership role away from the coaching staff, but to compliment the culture of the team.
Be a good role model.Because you are a team leader, the other runnersof the team will look up to you for advice and guidance. Set a good example and show them the proper way to act, be it on the course, in school, or out and about in public.
Attributes of a Captain/Co-Captain:
- An Encourager: Will praise team members when praise is due, not looking for ways to criticize. Rally the team together to cheer on teammates who are racing when you/they aren’t. Continuously looking for ways to help your teammates better themselves.
- Humble: Not a braggart or self focused. It’s ok to feel proud for getting a PR or reaching a goal or winning a race; it’s not ok to brag about it and try to have the focus continuously on you. Be willing to see the accomplishments of the team and praise them instead of pointing out your own accomplishments. Be a good listener. We were given two ears and one mouth for a reason; listen twice as much as you talk.
- Respectful: Non-argumentative. Will listen to authority. Understands the amount of respect you get from the team will be the amount you show to them. It’s a two way street. Show respect and encourage the team to show respect to the opposing team/coaches.
- Accountable: Admits when they are wrong. Take responsibility for your actions and move forward. Able to carry out orders as well as encourage others to do the same. Has the coaches back when the team grumbles, complains or isn’t listening (does not gossip). Captains are to guide the team in the direction the coaches’ orders intended.
- Firm: You need to be willing to take control and not accept disrespect or slacking (an injury would be the exception to this). If being disrespected be willing to firmly ask the teammate to please follow direction. If they still don’t, then get the coach involved. I doubt this is too much of a problem with the distance kids though.
- Disciplined: As a leader you must be self disciplined and teach your teammates to be self disciplined. How? Lead by example. You should be highly motivated and disciplined in your training as well as in your schooling. For example… it takes discipline to keep an easy pace on the E run days, when all you really want to do is lead the pack and go fast. If the schedule says to do a particular workout, enforce that the workout is being done the way it is meant to be done.
- Competitive: But in a good way. We all know those who are competitive in a bad way, and it’s not pretty, nor fun, to be around. Model good competitive behavior to your teammates. We want to win, right? But we don’t want to win at the expense of any teammate’s health or well being nor at the expense of a good reputation.
- Leadership: “He who thinks he leads but has no followers is only taking a walk”. You have to be a leader. A leader empowers others to do the work and to push themselves. Lead by example by following all of the coaches’ directions and treating them with respect, do every workout to the best of your ability. Take charge, help to start practice on time and keep the team on task. Be willing to ask for feedback from the teammates.