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Post by spartan74 on May 7, 2008 16:08:28 GMT -6
We recently selected Captains. The entire coaching staff sits down and selects 4 seniors to be our captains. We announced them last week for the up coming season. How do you handle the players who felt they should be captains and were not selected. What to say to them etc... just looking for advice from people who have experienced this.
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Post by coachdixon on May 7, 2008 18:46:31 GMT -6
One thing that we do is select 4 captains for the upcoming season in the spring and then we choose a 5th captain based on their summer work ethic and leadership. This gives those people who weren't chosen in the spring an opportunity to earn that last captain spot by the start of the season. It really makes kids work hard because they want that last captain spot.
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Post by oguru on May 7, 2008 18:48:45 GMT -6
There are probably a nmber of different ways to do this. However I would be totally upfront and honest with the kid and let him know why he wasn't selected and what he can work on to become better. I know one time when I was in college there was a sr who was mad tha he wasn't selected and the o-line coach tld him"Just because your not a captain doesn't mean you can't be a leader" I think thats great but there is a difference between a leader and a captain. Especially in that situation where the players picked the captains.
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Post by k on May 7, 2008 23:05:39 GMT -6
Easy problem to solve. You pick captains by player vote and "modify" as required to prevent the end of the world.
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Post by ghengiskhan on May 7, 2008 23:28:16 GMT -6
coachdixon...what do you do if you have two kids who bust their butts all summer and then you have to tell one of them no?
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Post by coachbdud on May 7, 2008 23:48:55 GMT -6
coachdixon...what do you do if you have two kids who bust their butts all summer and then you have to tell one of them no? add another captain
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Post by CoachMikeJudy on May 8, 2008 6:58:20 GMT -6
I think the title of captain has been defiled. Us as coaches tend to throw it around too often, allowing too many kids to wear those stripes. It should truly be a privledge to be a captain.
A captain is someone that sells out for the team, puts his teammates before himself, and will take charge on the field- steering the boat when coaches are not around. It doesn't have to be the guy who verbally committed as a junior or our leading tackler from last year- these are not necessarily signs of good leaders! [Although, usually the people that do these things inspire others to perform]
I say that in the spring you select 2 captains, based on team vote and as someone put it "modified so that the world won't explode...
I like the idea of over summer workouts and camp having another leader stepping forward. If this happens, then elect him captain and you have 3.
If you can't narrow down to 3 then you might as well not have captains...whats the point? Just have representatives from the senior class call the toss for every game...
I've coached teams where we had no elected captains and the teams went 8-1 and 8-2.
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Post by superpower on May 8, 2008 8:26:14 GMT -6
I think the title of captain has been defiled. Us as coaches tend to throw it around too often, allowing too many kids to wear those stripes. It should truly be a privledge to be a captain. A captain is someone that sells out for the team, puts his teammates before himself, and will take charge on the field- steering the boat when coaches are not around. It doesn't have to be the guy who verbally committed as a junior or our leading tackler from last year- these are not necessarily signs of good leaders! [Although, usually the people that do these things inspire others to perform] I say that in the spring you select 2 captains, based on team vote and as someone put it "modified so that the world won't explode... I like the idea of over summer workouts and camp having another leader stepping forward. If this happens, then elect him captain and you have 3. If you can't narrow down to 3 then you might as well not have captains...whats the point? Just have representatives from the senior class call the toss for every game... I've coached teams where we had no elected captains and the teams went 8-1 and 8-2. We have had some character issues with several of our players since last season, and we are thinking very seriously about not selecting any captains for next season. I am glad to know that that approach has worked for someone else.
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Post by CoachMikeJudy on May 8, 2008 9:44:06 GMT -6
I think it sends a message to people- being a captain of this team is a honor earned over time- like military ranking...they just don't hand out stars and make everybody a general do they?
Kids need to know- ALL CAPTAINS ARE LEADERS OF THIS TEAM, BUT NOT ALL LEADERS ARE CAPTAINS.
Just because you don't get captain doesn't mean you are not a leader! Leadership is relative to your status on the team- all upperclassmen should strive to be leaders. Hell, even freshmen should strive to lead. If every kid tries to pull the others along, through the muck, then you will have a strong TEAM.
Again, this is my philosophy only- this is something I truly believe in. IMO:
A Captain Must...
1) Be a contributing member of the team for 3+ years (no sophomores) 2) Walk the line on the field and in the classroom (no discipline problems) 3) Be a leader by example- they do not have to be vocal necessarily but speak up when needed 4) Take control of the team - they must have earned the team's respect!
Back in our day kids were more reluctant to speak up. Now a days these kids will yell and scream and put on a great show for the coaches if they think it will make them look good. We call these guys "trick or treaters"- they got the costume on but they sure aren't for real...
Does anyone else recognize this in kids today?
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Post by staringfrog on May 10, 2008 5:35:33 GMT -6
The fact that you even posted this thread solidifies my personal opinion. Captains are a waste of time. I firmly believe that pointing someone out as a leader does nothing positive. Sure that is debatable, but one thing that is not debatable is that pointing out captains DOES lead to dissention, controversery and defiance in many cases.
My theory is that the leaders will naturally emerge on a team. Seperating them from the rest of the group does nothing to help their credibility as a TEAM player.
Just my thoughts, and what has been successful for us. It has allowed us to practice what we preach about lack of individualism and all about team unity.
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Post by touchdowng on May 10, 2008 14:06:19 GMT -6
We (all varsity members and coaches) vote and select two Varsity captains at the end of each season who will help lead us through the upcoming off-season - Even the exiting Seniors get to vote and we talk about the importance of voting for the right guys.
During Spring Ball we elect one more varsity captain and that gives us 3 Varsity captains for the season. Coaches will handpick one more captain each week to serve as the 4th captains for the next varsity game. This is a weekly ritual for our program and allows us an opportunity to spotlight a player.
This is just how we do it. For us, it has been a positive.
I've never had a kid complain about not being selected or elected a captain. We expect all of our kids to demonstrate good leadership and/or followership.
My two captains who are elected at the end of the previous season help me out a lot with communications to the team and for talking to players about their behaviors and academics. We do a number of work parties around our community to give back and my captains help me with this. If there is phone calling to be made - they take care of it.
Our kids know what we value (hard work, commitment, results) and they've done a nice job electing the right people.
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Post by senatorblutarsky on May 10, 2008 14:55:14 GMT -6
I know I'm joining a little late, but for what it is worth, captains are very important to us, they are involved in almost all team (not program) decisions. We might do this a little differently than some as our philosophy is that 2008 is our senior's team, it is our (coaches) program. First of all, one must apply for the position (like you would for a management job). They have to write a letter of application, submit a football resume (so a lot of whitemike's ideas coming in to play here) and submit it by the due date. After that, they interview with 2 coaches and 1 player from each class (I pick the players who are the best workers, care the most). Here they have to explain why they want to be and why they should be a captain. We max at 4... sometimes we've had less. If we have more than 4 apply and clear the interview process, then we vote. This has worked very well for us, as the application process seems to dissuade those who are not after the role of captain for the right reasons. We have only voted once in the last 5 years... and that year, all 7 applicants would have made good captains.
I understand the "no captains" argument... but this had worked very well for us.
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Post by touchdowng on May 11, 2008 0:12:27 GMT -6
bluto
That's a nice process!
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Post by senatorblutarsky on May 11, 2008 13:58:21 GMT -6
bluto
That's a nice process!
I'd love to take credit for it... but I stole that from someone (can't remember who or when). We had some problems with the old way (simply letting players vote), and this has seemed to eliminate those.
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Post by briangilbert on May 11, 2008 15:28:48 GMT -6
Its THERE team let THEM vote
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Post by coachd5085 on May 11, 2008 16:10:34 GMT -6
THEY are 14-18 year olds. If it is THEIR team, then let THEM call the plays? Set the schedule? Decide on the system to use?
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Post by touchdowng on May 11, 2008 17:18:03 GMT -6
coachD8055
your interpretation of "It's their team" might be taking it too literal.
You gotta give them something - so you have something to take away when they're naughty.
Every coach who's been around the block knows that
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Post by coachd5085 on May 11, 2008 18:02:12 GMT -6
touchdown..I agree...however, I like Senator blutarsky's approach..it is THEIR team, BUT THE COACHES PROGRAM. Captains are a program decision (IMO) not a team one.
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Post by touchdowng on May 11, 2008 19:11:43 GMT -6
Sorry
Maybe it was me who took you too literal.
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Post by captain31 on May 12, 2008 0:59:45 GMT -6
Bluto- Does everyone who applies and goes through the interview process (if there are less than 4) then automatically become a captain, or do you have to turn guys down?
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Post by senatorblutarsky on May 12, 2008 8:40:05 GMT -6
Bluto- Does everyone who applies and goes through the interview process (if there are less than 4) then automatically become a captain, or do you have to turn guys down?
So far, we have not had to turn anyone down. If they go through this they are pretty serious and take the role of captain to be important... I suppose if we had a guy who was a good resume and application writer, but a bad kid, we would not pass him through. We did have one I was concerned with due to some past issues... he applied and was "hired"... he ended up doing a great job. No process is perfect... this has just seemed to be the best we've done re: captains.
Its THERE team let THEM vote
As far as that goes... not everyone runs for president or mayor, not everyone wants to be the principal, not everyone applies to be a head coach... We felt like a blanket vote amongst all team members was a popularity contest... and sometimes kids became captains who didn't want / couldn't handle the position. This way, we weed out a lot of guys who are well liked, but don't necessarily want nor deserve the responsibility.
Our captains are involved with creating the team mission statement, setting rules, planning team functions (all guided by the coaches... but they feel more involved). They are even involved in certain disciplinary actions...some kids don't want that kind of responsibility, which is fine, but they shouldn't be a captain then, regardless of how well liked they are. So far (we've been doing this for about 7 years), the application process has brought forth only those who both want and can handle the position.
I'm sure this process will be "tested" at some point, but thus far we've had only positive effects.
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Post by threeback on May 12, 2008 9:18:22 GMT -6
bluto- Absolutely love the process you guys use. Practical, makes perfect sense, and prepares kids for life by having to go through the hiring process. Like you mentioned, must weed out the guys that want the title but don't put in the work. We always had the requirement that they can be juniors/seniors, must make their required summer workouts, and couldn't have had any previous discipline problems- which in itself weeded out the "sometimers". Team voted at the end of hell week for three captains, majority vote won. Seperated the team votes by class, with junior /senior votes being counted first and then soph counted last. Junior and senior votes decided the captain 99.9 percent of the time, with the soph vote only as a last resort b/c most of the time, the sophomores weren't around long enough and tended to vote for the "sometimers" that talked a good game but couldn't back it up. Once elected, team captains had say-so in the aspects mentioned above. Like your process better, though.
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Post by CoachMikeJudy on May 12, 2008 9:40:29 GMT -6
I think that our different viewpoints on captains are probably reflections of our own experiences- it's funny how the answers range from "captains are the heart and soul..." to "the title is worthless..." This board is great...
I'm going to be completely honest- of all the teams I have been on or coached, there have only been a handful of guys who truly represented what I see a captain as being. Most of the time captains were given the title for a variety of other reasons.
Of all the captains only a few were legitimate leaders- most were just upperclassmen who were the only good players on the teams...
This is where I adopted the idea of captains not being necessary for success.
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