How a Good Team Captain Can Make Your Team Great

December 11, 2024
By Rachel Gonzalez

There are many things that go into having a good team. But there is one person who doesn’t get the credit they deserve—especially when we’re talking about youth and club girls’ soccer players. We all know how vital the adults are, our coaches and soccer parents, but what about the team captains? A team captain is more than just an honorary or vanity title. An effective team captain can make a good team great.

What Makes a Good Captain?

A captain has to be a leader but not feel like another coach. They should always feel like part of the team, not above everyone else. She should be someone the team can trust and turn to and who wants to be around in your downtime, too.

A true captain creates not just trust and a sense of dedication to the team but fun, too. As seriously as we take it, soccer is just a game, and a good captain will remind you that you don’t have to be perfect for this wonderful game to still be fun.

The Role of the Captain on the Pitch

Having a good captain on the pitch with you will make the team feel more cohesive and help you run better together. We all know how important a good coach is, but they aren’t on the field with you in those big moments. A team captain is the one you turn to when your coach can’t reach you. She’s the one right next to you in the wins and losses. Having a captain on the pitch who can make those quick decisions, guide every line of the team, and inspire the team to be their best will send a team from good to great.

Building Camaraderie and Handling Challenges

Captain’s are also responsible for camaraderie, they’re the ones who make you want to play together. Cliques and in-fighting happen, but with the right team captain those issues can and will always be dealt with before things boil over. Finding that middle group is watch captaincy is all about.

Your team captain doesn’t have to be the top scorer or the one with the best moves. Being a good team captain comes down to more than just stats and skills. She has to be the one who can lead fairly and who supports and cheers louder than anyone else. And also the one who can bring the team back together during those slumps and hiccups. A good team captain can make the team great by inspiring on and off the pitch and being a leader even when the chips are down.

Featured image via Pexels