Captains...Necessary?

I don't actually know how my son's college team designates captains, but his varsity HS team captains were elected/chosen by the players.  This seemed to work very well his two years on varsity.  The captains were respected. the hardest workers and vocal....and the team listened.  They were not always the best players on the team - often they were, but in each instance, was at a minimum a starter who was a solid contributor.In fact, the HC at times consulted with, and deferred disciplinary-type decisions to made for lack of effort/hustle, attitude, etc to the team captains.

 

The players knew who would be great captains, they were not popularity contests, and they made great selections each year.

 

I know my son's college team regularly holds "kangaroo court," and for sure on every road trip.  Whether these are lead by the captains or not, I do not know, but I understand they are a very good team-building tool amongst the guys.

GREAT question!   I don't know the answer

 

In our HS program, HC does not subscribe to appointing official captains.  He and I have discussed this on multiple occasions.  There have been years when we have a few kids that we think have the right mindset and would benefit (along with the team) if they were given the added responsibility in some "official" capacity.  We ultimately decided against. 

 

A large part of why we don't appoint specific captains is because we look for every player to provide leadership in some form or another.  We like for each player to think they are relied upon and are expected to be held accountable.  I think it works best for us. 

 

I also think there is a long list of pros and cons on either side.  And, I think it depends on the nature of the group and the coaches.

 

At the HS level, I don't think I'd leave it up to the players as it is more likely to become a popularity vote.  I am not as concerned with the captain being one of the best players.  I am more concerned with him having the right work ethic and attitude along with trusting he knows the right way to represent the team and school.  Most important, he would have to demonstrate some ability to help others work toward a common goal and do so the right way.

When my son played HS, the coach didn't appoint or select "captains" nor did the players elect captains.  The seniors were more or less the leaders of the team and set the tone (work ethic) in practice and games.

 

At his JuCo the team has a "five player council" that acts as the team leaders.  Not sure if they are selected by the team or the coach.  Maybe combination of both - selected by the players and approved by the coach?  The most important thing to the coach is the concept of playing together as a team - no one individual wins or loses the game(s). 

 

It just seems that at the HS level and below having captains is something that easily tear the team apart.  Maybe some teams can make having captains work, others simply cannot.

Perhaps not relevant but my son's 7/8 grade Juniors team is coached by a dad who selected his son as the Captain at the beginning of the season, with no input from the players.  This kid is negative and abusive and it has really poisoned the team.  I told my son to suck it up and be the counter-weight by being a positive force on the team.  I think it's a good but tough life lesson.

My son is the captain and it was something handed down to him after the teams final game last season by the previous captain. They weren't friends; but a respect thing. He knows who he is turning it over to when this season ends.
He said it is about being the hardest and most dedicated worker and the one who will protect the name on the front of the jersey. Again, it won't be a friend even though his best friend is a junior.

Thanks for your posts and thoughts.  Interesting perspectives and experiences. 

 

I have three sons who have all played high school baseball.  In all cases, none of their teams had captains due to the (various) coaches policies about captains.  But every year there was always some upperclassmen (usually a shortstop or catcher) who was leading by what they said and did.  So, some kids become defacto captains based on position and class.  However, if a coach wants to designate high school captains it is probably pretty apparent who is leading and who isn't.

 

I see college baseball a lot differently in the context of captains.  The skills and talent are much closer with greater competition among 35 players than it is in high school.  There are many college programs that could have position competition between  freshmen and seniors.  College coaches use their benches more, so getting 12-17 players into a college series is not out of the realm of possibilities.   I guess I should have focused my orginal question/comment to College Captains.   I'm just not sold that it is necessary, and doesn't produce the benefits in college as it could in high school.    The coaches job is to win games maximizing his strengths and minimizing his weaknesses.  He is measured on wins and losses.  How does a policy of electing or appointing captains help achieve that.  Is this one of those squishy intangible things that I just have to take a coaches word for?  I dunno.  This is one of those topics that bugs me because I can't figure it out.

I don't like captains, never use captains and never will.  Way to many negatives can come out of them if they are the wrong person.  Let it happen naturally - those who have leadership abilities / qualities will rise to the top and do it anyway.  

Coach2709

 

That is the way I see it too, but I don't have the practical experience in baseball to justify my position (only observation and common sense).  What you said makes a lot of sense to me.

I could make an argument on both sides of this topic, because at times coaches pick captains that make you go...what was he thinking.  But I guess thats the point, the coach's definition of captain is his, its his team and saw a need for that player to be captain for that team based on his perception of the needs of the the team or himself (coach). 

 

As far as the need for captains in College specifically.  I almost see more of a need in college than in HS.  I think it could be good to have a player who probably is an upperclassman and been in the program for 3 years already and understands the coaches philosophy, wants and message.  Every year a group of freshman come on campus and may need that player to turn to for questions, baseball and non baseball related.  It's a whole new world for those players, the work, the expectations and having a peer leader that was designated could help. I think a college coach has a better grasp on making a captain selection, if it is a senior, because they have known that senior for at least 3 years.  They know what they are getting by assigning him as captain.  Most seniors being around 22 years old have formed what kind of man they will be for the rest of their lives...decision making, leadership skills, problem solving.  I think that type of person lends itself to more of the responsibilities of what a captain should be than a 17 year old in HS, if we are comparing. 

 

In any locker room there are leaders.  I think with the time college coaches and players spend together throughout the year compared to HS, the age of the players, the long grind of a college baseball year, there is more of a need in college than in HS and probably a better chance of getting the captain position right.

 

Again, I could go either way with an argument, but this is the other side of having captains in college.     

Shortnquick - that's a good post for why they are acceptable in college.  I'm just not a fan of them in high school.  

 

First - placing the label captain on a player implies they are above the rest of the team.  They have a higher status because they really do or they wouldn't have the title.  High school kids typically don't have the maturity to handle this role - they let it go to their head.  Plus, if someone wasn't named a captain then they may resent the ones who were named.  Incoming freshmen usually won't listen to them.  We as coaches (and parents) talk about how this is a team and nobody is more important than the team so why create a group who is above the rest of the group.  College is different because they setting is so much different - on their own, away from home, maturity should be better - that they can handle it.  I just don't think HS kids can.

 

Second - typically (not always but quite a bit) the captains don't know how to be leaders.  They turn into shouters and yellers - "you have to do better" "you have to work harder" while their errors and work ethic are now magnified by everyone else looking for that let up.  Hard to get onto someone for making a mistake while you make mistakes yourself when you're supposed to be equal.  When you want that starting position over a captain and they make a mistake just magnifies the criticism.  This creates a cancer on the team.  

 

Even if you try to take the captains and teach them how to be leaders and teach the rest of the team how to be good followers of the captains it still may not work.  You never really know how they will react so why create the possibility of it going negatively.

 

Third - I've seen places who put seniors in as automatic leaders.  What if they are a bunch of jerks?  Now you're teaching the following classes how to be jerks and when it's their time they will want to be jerks because they want to treat others how they were treated.  But once again why put a group above the rest?  The most common answer is they are seniors and it's their last year - well if that's the case then make sure they always start and play.  That's the message you're sending by making them captains / leaders but then a freshman / sophomore comes along who is better.  Why would the rest of the team listen to that senior who can't win a position?

 

Fourth - you could let the team pick captains but as someone said earlier these tend to become a popularity contest or they go with the most talented.  Well what if the most popular / talented kids are jerks?  Yeah you as the coach can have veto power but think of the message you're sending now.  The kids know how they voted and they know who should win the vote but the outcome isn't what they think it is.  Now they know you the coach doesn't believe in Joe and Bobby as captains for whatever reason.  Now the coach has created the division in the team and undercut whoever they put in place as captains.

 

If you let it play out then the right kids will do what they need to do and the rest will either eventually follow along or they won't but the chances of them becoming a cancer go down.  The popular kids lose impact because they're not given that power to use wrong.  It's extremely rare to find that kid who doesn't play who knows how to lead vocally.  They are that rah rah guy on the bench but the guys on the field aren't going to listen to them.  But if that guy on the bench is always doing the right thing and is a good team mate that will eventually carry more of an impact.

 

I don't understand coaches who put captains / seniors in charge of discipline.  Something minor happens and they tell that group to handle it.  Why?  It's not their job - it's yours.  Do your job and take care of players who get into trouble.  This is how bullies on the team get created.

 

Now I will readily admit this may not be how it is for some people. They may have something in place that works to build / create leadership from captains / seniors that works.  But what happens if you get that one group who happen to be jerks?  Plus, winning tends to take care of most problems in these matters but what happens if you start struggling?

 

The best way (IMO) to let leaders develop or allow the seniors to "run" the team is to put something in place that is done pretty much the same way year after year - a program.  When I was in Kentucky after I put in place what I wanted it took a group going through it as 8th graders before I started to see leaders.  I didn't have to put that mantle on them nor did I have to tell them what to do - they just did it.  The younger players went with it because they knew that's how it was done.  There was no resistance.  It was expected and it allowed us to really do some good things.  I didn't have to handle conditioning - they just asked if it was sprints or baserunning situations.  They took care of the field after games / practice without being told.  The older guys would show the younger guys how to rake because I showed the older guys when they were younger.  They were passing it on because that's what expected.  

 

This doesn't guarantee it will always be rainbows or unicorns but it lets leaders become leaders without alienating them or creating resentment from rest of the team.

I agree.  As I posted, more reasons to have them in college and a better chance of getting the correct man in the position than in HS.

I agree with all of your above assessments on HS captains and potential problems.  There are always exceptions to the rule, but I see it as you see it.

I can't speak about college as we are not there with our athletes yet, but I like the idea of the "Captain" rising up naturally without the title and without being chosen. My son's first year on varsity, the coach picked a Captain because he had a leader type personality, I guess. He hardly came to practice, when he did come he wouldn't be dressed properly and might leave early. He was rude and condescending to younger players. If he didn't get a hit, he would throw things in the dugout. He would also leave the dugout to talk to his girlfriend in the bleachers.

 

OTOH on my daughter's softball team, no captains, one senior has a take-charge personality and she does take charge! She will send out a facebook message telling the girls that practice is mandatory and if they don't come without a good excuse, they won't play the next game. The coach is a really nice guy, but does not expect decent behavior it seems. The unofficial captain made the "no food in the dugout" rule. The team listens to her, when they never listened to the coach.

Never like the idea of it. If I have to tell the players who the captain is then there isn't one.