Being a captain of a sports team is a very rewarding role but also requires some work. To many people there is a misconception that surrounds being a captain. Many people think that captains are the most skilled people on the team but that in fact is not true. Anybody can be a leader on a team and show qualities that in time better the team as a whole. Any member of the team can step up at any given time and lead. As John Quincy Adams once said “ If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader”.  Having the C on the jersey holds an even bigger responsibility and the expectation of leadership is higher in that of a captain.

There is something called the 3 C’s of being a captain and these qualities should be the backbone of how a captain should lead. These 3 qualities are caring, courageous, and consistance. The first one is caring, this means having passion for the game, competition ,and teammates. Having passion for the game and competing is a big part of being a captain because this promotes honorable competition on and off the playing field. Honorable competition is a big part of sports today and if a captain tries to instill that in his team then the game will be played fair. Also a big part of caring is for your teammates. As a captain you need to show concern for all players and realize that each person on the team has a purpose. You should also be concerned for the well being of each member and the team as a whole. I think one of the biggest things is if you have a problem with a player you should take care of it one on one instead of taking the whole team down with you. The next quality you have to have as a captain is courage. Although it may be hard a captain had to show courage when standing up and facing adversity. Through courage you can show the team that you can stand up to what you believe in on and off the field. If there is a tough situation you just have to be brave and conceal it as a captain so your whole team does not breakdown. Courage is instilled in everyone but it shines through especially when you are a captain. The third quality which  I feel is very important to the strengthening of the team is consistent. This means that one must give their all 100 percent of the time on and off the field. If the players see the captains doing it they will be driven to give 100 percent also. I believe that if everyone gives 100 percent then the team can overcome adversity and rise to the top.

Being a captain is about earning respect from your teammates and coaches. If you have respect then you are a good leader. As I said if you follow the 3 C’s to being a captain you will earn a 4th C from your team and this is credibility. Credibility is very important when you are trying to lead a team to victory. If you have the trust of your peers and your coaches it makes it a little easier to lead and mentor your team. As Stephen Covey says “ Trust is the glue of life. it is the most essential ingredient in effective communication”.  Another big part of being a captain is that you can instill a sense of teamwork in your team. Having a sense of teamwork can be the difference between winning and losing a game. The amount of unity in a team can make a team either rise or fall. Teamwork is like the glue that holds together a team. As Michael Jordan once said “ Talent wins games,but teamwork and intelligence wins championships”. If one person thinks that they can do it all they are absolutely wrong because it takes a whole team working together to win.

In conclusion being a captain is an honor but it does require some work. If you use the 3 qualities of being a captain you should be able to be a good leader. As I said before anyone can be a leader on a team, and the captain does not have to be the best player. What a captain has to do is be that glue that holds the team together when they are down and celebrate when the team is up but never quit on yourself or your team. As Simon Sinek says “ A leader’s job is not to do the work for others, it’s to help others figure out how to do it themselves, to get things done, and to succeed beyond what they thought possible”. As a captain you should not only be a leader but a mentor to those around you whether it is on or off the field.