We’re Following the Leader

“We’re Following the Leader Wherever He/She May Go”

One of the benefits of participating in sports is being able to develop many different leadership skills. Leadership has been defined as a process whereby an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal (Dupuis & Bloom, 2006). Certain individuals may earn the respect and support from teammates and naturally come forward into a formal leadership role (Dupuis & Bloom, 2006). This meaning that the coach and teammates may designate the specific individual athlete as the formal team leader usually known as the “team captain”. But under many circumstances, leadership is such a big role that one might not be able to carryout alone, therefore sometimes the “team captain” many include more than one athlete. But regardless of whether there is one or three “team captains” it is these individuals that must be effective and he/she or they must be recognized as having the most influence of the behavior of group members (Anshel, 2003).

Kevin Meadows was interviewed for this essay being the starting quarterback for a very successful high school football team called James Madison in Jackson, Tennessee for four years and becoming the “team captain” his senior year. By becoming the “team captain” Kevin went from being just one of the athletes on the field to the spokes person of the athletes on the field. So what exactly does being a “team captain” and having that leadership role feel like? Kevin states, “Your anxiety level in a position such as “team captain” goes from about 100 to 210, just knowing that if something goes wrong you’ll be the person that will get put on the spot and probably get crapped on from not only the coach but all the other players and oh yea the fans too! But it also feels good to know that you are the person your teammates are relying on for certain plays, a quick pep talk here and there, teammates ask you on how they can improve some of their skills or even tell you how both of us can work together to make a play better. But mostly I like being that person that your teammates can come to when they don’t feel like dealing with the coach because even though winning is an awesome feeling you know as a “team captain” the best thing you can say is, it only a game and we’ll get them next time!” But some examples of effective leadership include taking responsibility for team failure; giving direction during practice, devising and communicating pregame, game, postgame strategies; and articulating expectations to each team player (Anshel, 2003).

As a team captain is it more important to take the successful leadership role and just tell the team “let’s win the game and everyone will be happy” or is it more important to be effective and tell the team “everyone knows their positions, we went over the plays several times in practice, so lets go out, play like we’re supposed to and win that game”? “I think you need a bit of both. To be a successful leader you have to be smart, tough and determined when you’re entering that game. But you have to care for the other players and talk to them if you think their not playing to their ability or if you think they need help with something.