I’ve coached high school basketball for 16 years.

• Ten times, I’ve had team captains.

• Six times, I haven’t.

As that suggests, I’ve gone back and forth on the value of captains. The role of captain has been around for a long time and is ingrained in sport.

However, in recent years, there’s been some pushback on this idea. More coaches are resisting the naming of captains.

Here are the benefits of both ideas:

Strong Captains = Strong Teams

The role of team captain has traditionally carried a lot of weight. In fact, Sam Walker’s book, The Captain’s Class, highlights the role that captains have played on some of the best sports teams in history. 

Why have we traditionally had captains:

• Naming captains empowers players to lead.

• Captains become a go-between for the team and the coaching staff.

• Having captains creates a clear hierarchy that places accountability on those most able to handle the responsibility of leadership.

• Certain players have more leadership traits and should be rewarded.

Rethinking Leadership - An Outdated Model

Some coaches have been going away from captains.

Here are some reasons why:

• Naming captains can create tension within a team.

• Captains often end up being the best players (or an award for seniority), not necessarily the best leaders.

• Non-captains don’t feel like they can or need to lead, and so they sit back and wait for captains to do that work.

• Leadership should be developed throughout the entire team, not just for captains.

Captains - Stay Or Go?

In the years I didn’t name captains, the first game was always interesting. When the refs would call out for captains, I was intrigued to see who would go to the pregame meeting.

That often told me who the leaders really were in our locker room.

The truth is, different teams may have different needs when it comes to leadership and captaincy. You know your team the best!

With that in mind, what have you done with regard to captains? Please reply to this email to share your thoughts and experiences!

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