So, I stumbled across some talk, maybe it was that piece in the Times, about how teams nowadays, especially in high school sports, seem to have a whole bunch of captains. Not just one or two, but like, a committee’s worth sometimes. It really got me thinking back.
I see it around here too, you know. Just watching the local games, talking to neighbors whose kids are playing. Last fall, the football team had something like five captains listed in the program. Five! Made me scratch my head a bit.
When I Played Ball
It just feels so different from my time playing, way back when. Being named captain, man, that was a big deal. Seriously. It was usually just one person. Maybe, maybe two if the team was huge or you had distinct offense/defense leaders.
I remember my senior year playing basketball. Coach pulled me into his office after tryouts. Didn’t just slap a ‘C’ on my jersey. He sat me down, told me what he expected. Said I was his voice on the floor, responsible for keeping guys focused, even when things got tough. It wasn’t just an honor; it was a job. You felt the weight of it.
- You were the first one talking in the huddle.
- You had to pull a teammate aside if they were messing up or losing their cool.
- You were expected to lead by example, drills, practice, everything.
- You definitely answered for it if the team chemistry was off.
There wasn’t any confusion about who the captain was. Everyone knew.
Trying to Figure It Out
So, seeing four, five, sometimes more kids sharing the title now… I’ve been trying to wrap my head around it. Why the change?
I guess maybe coaches are trying to avoid drama? Maybe it’s easier to name a few kids than pick just one and deal with disappointed players or parents? Could be that whole “everyone gets a prize” mentality bleeding over into leadership roles. Spread the resume points around, perhaps.
Maybe the thinking is that it teaches more kids leadership skills. Give more people a taste of responsibility. I can see the argument, sort of.
But then, watching from the sidelines, sometimes it feels like when everyone’s a captain, maybe no one really is? Does the responsibility get diluted? Does it mean as much? If five people are supposed to be leading, who actually takes charge when the pressure is on? Seems like it could get confusing, create a situation where everyone assumes someone else has it covered.
You end up with, well, a bunch of captains. Not sure if that’s the same as having strong leadership. Just feels different, you know? Things change, I get it. But sometimes you watch these things and just wonder if we’re really improving on the old ways. Just my two cents from watching things play out.
