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The 3 C’s of Being a Captain

Larry lauer, phd and kevin blue michigan state university.

Major Point: Captains embody 3 C’s in leading their team: Caring, Courageous, and Consistent.  

Being named a team captain is quite the honor. The position of captain is given to those athletes whom the rest of the team respect and trust to lead the team in the right direction. However, with this great honor also comes great responsibility. A captain must be accountable after a bad performance or practice. Captains are expected to perform in the clutch and lead the team to victory. It is also expected that captains will maintain control in the most pressurized situations and be the model of excellence for their teammates. Wow, coaches and athletes expect a lot of captains don’t they? Is it really worth it to be a captain? 

In our opinion, being a captain is one of the greatest honors an athlete can receive. Yet, many athletes take this honor for granted and do not understand the significance of their responsibilities as captain. In fact, in some situations captains may be selected because they are popular amongst their peers rather than being a suitable candidate for the captaincy. Athletes should take the captain’s role very seriously and put some thought on what it means to be an effective captain. In our opinion a good captain should embody the 3 C’s:  Caring, Courageous, and Consistent.

3 C’s  

Great captains have an undeniable passion for the game, for competing, and for their teammates. They put the success of the team ahead of their own needs and are truly concerned with the well-being of all team members. As a caring captain, you should treat all teammates with respect and recognize the contributions made by all team members. If you have a problem with a teammate, you should approach that teammate in private and in a positive way to address the situation and find a solution. The captain should be the one to stop rumor spreading and gossiping. These kinds of behaviors destroy team chemistry.

Courageous:

Captains are willing to step up. As a courageous captain, you must “walk the talk” and you cannot be afraid to compete in the worst of situations. Courageous captains set the example for the rest of the team. Your actions must embody the core values of the team, especially during times of adversity. Be a model of courage and dedication to your teammates by setting lofty goals and working hard to reach them. Finally, as a courageous captain you must show that you trust your teammates and coaches, and are also willing to hold teammates accountable to working hard and being prepared.

Consistent:

Effective captains need to be the model of consistency. To be a consistent captain you need to hold yourself to a standard of giving 100% effort in every practice and game. You cannot cut corners and earn the respect from teammates and coaches that is necessary to lead the team effectively. Consistent captains also have an authentic style of communicating. Some lead by their actions, while others are more vocal. Importantly, to be a consistent captain you must remain true to your own style of communication and not try to be someone else. If you successfully accomplish these 3 C’s you will earn a 4th C –  credibility . Nothing is more important in leading your team into competition than being seen as an authentic, credible leader. What if you need to develop your 3 C’s? The good news is that captains can be developed; they are not necessarily born captains. To improve your caring, courageousness, and consistency spend time talking to captains you know. How do they handle certain sticky situations? Also, spend time around good captains and model their best qualities. You can also learn a great deal from reading about great captains such as Steve Yzerman, retired Detroit Red Wing. Talk to your coaches as well. Find out what they are looking for in a captain and how you can fulfill that role. Finally, take your role seriously. Be willing to do what is right for the team even if it is “not cool”. And, get out and do it. You will learn much on the job including from your mistakes.

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"Being a Captain teaches you how to be a mentor, a team player and how to lead others and help them to improve"

What I love the most about sport, particularly competing, is the continuous learning element - you can only really get better

Nina Sorensen, Womens Basketball Captain, Winner - Sports Captain of the Year Award 2017, Post Graduate Diploma in Nursing

Award-winning basketball captain Nina Sorensen gives her take on representational sport at City. Not only does she talk about how rewarding taking part in a sport can be, but how she has developed certain skills from being part of a team, on and off the court. 

How did you get involved in representational Sport?

The netball and basketball coaches at my secondary school encouraged me to join the after-school clubs after seeing me play in a PE class. I represented my school in five sports and very rarely had a weeknight when I wasn't on a court or pitch of some sort. This increased to six sports when I moved to another sixth form and two sports at University. 

What do you enjoy about it? What I love the most about sport, particularly competing, is the continuous learning element - you can only really get better, and at the same time you need to adapt to new players, new strategies, and learn to work in a team. I always want to be better than how I was the day before. 

What do you find challenging/rewarding about being a Captain? Being a Captain is one of the best roles you can take on at University, and in life in general, because it teaches you how to be a mentor, a team player and how to lead others and help them to improve. It is a tough role - you have to stress the needs of the team over personal preferences, balance personalities and keep people inspired in a period of poor performance. But what I loved most about being Captain this year was seeing how well others improved as a result of team work and dedication. Being able to be the person people come to when they have an idea or something they want to improve is to me, the best part of the job. 

How do you think that this experience has changed you? Even though I was not able to play this year, I feel this has made me more of a team player than I think I have ever been on court. I understand and appreciate more of the frustrations that people can feel when things aren't going well on court, and the need to be the person that keeps up team morale when this happens. It has highlighted the need to develop a team, and not individual players, and to encourage one of the best aspects of University Sport - the socials! 

Why would you recommend it to others? Being a Captain teaches you to work with people, to be a mentor and to be a voice. These are all skills, in my opinion, everyone should aim to develop and nurture, not just in sport but in their professional lives as well. If you can learn to lead a team, I think people will excel in whatever career or sport they are doing. 

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13 Essential Qualities to Help You Become an Effective Team Captain

Last Updated: January 12, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Ryan Tremblay . Ryan Tremblay is a Basketball Coach and the Owner of National Sports ID and STACK Basketball. With over 30 years of experience, Ryan specializes in basketball coaching, social media marketing, and website design. Ryan created the National Sports ID as a platform to verify the age/grade of youth athletes and STACK Basketball to inspire young athletes to grow into mature individuals and basketball players. Ryan was a First Team All-Decade basketball player in Bergen County and finished in the top 20 all-time leading scorers in the county’s history with 1,730 points. He went on to Caldwell University on a basketball scholarship where he was part of three championship teams. Ryan was a two-time All-Metropolitan, All-State, and All-Conference point guard and the all-time three-point leader in the school’s history, landing him in the Caldwell University Athletic Hall of Fame. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 284,038 times.

It's one thing to be a good team player, but it's another to be a good captain. Few will have the opportunity to take such an important leadership role. If you are fortunate enough to become a team captain, you will need to be a leader for your teammates both on and off the field.

Leading During the Game

• Some ways to show your effort include not jogging when you should be running, and never giving up on a play. If you slack off or give less effort, that is a sign that they do not need to try as hard either.
• This is especially important if you are losing during a game. Don’t let the situation dictate your effort. Let your teammates know that you will always give your best effort, even if you don’t win the game. It can be hard to keep that energy up while losing, and your teammates will need your example to help.

• Be respectful to fans. You can always lead your teammates in saluting or applauding the cheers of your own fans after the game. Ignore booing, taunts, or insults to show your teammates that those things shouldn’t affect their performance. Never shout back or make obscene gestures in response to negative fan comments.
• Talk to your teammates about sportsmanship as well. Ask them to describe what they think sportsmanship means, and how they are going to practice it during games. That way they will know and understand what you are doing, rather than you hoping they pick it up. It never hurts to remind them of the proper way to treat each other and their opponents.

• Don’t be afraid to discuss calls with the referees. Just remember to do so respectfully. Asking why something was or was not a foul, and explaining why you thought otherwise, is much better than trying to argue that the referee was wrong. Ask “Why was that a foul?” and listen to the answer rather than more accusatory statements like “That’s a terrible call” or “You didn’t call that foul on the other team.”
• In some sports, the referees will share certain rules with the captains that players should be aware of. Make sure you share these rules with your teammates and coaches to make sure everyone has an idea of how the official plans to call the game.
• In most sports, abusing the officials is a good way to pick up a penalty, or get yourself thrown out of the game. Not only will you be setting a bad example, but you will also be directly hurting the team.

• This is another piece of dealing with officials. If your teammates see you complaining about calls, it gives them an excuse to say the referee is the reason you are losing the game, rather than take responsibility for not playing well.
• Remember that this is for your mistakes only. It is not the captain’s job to accept responsibility for teammates’ mistakes. If you are always trying to take the blame, your teammates won’t be able to take responsibility for their own errors.

Communicating with Teammates

• This doesn’t have to be a big speech like you’re in a sports movie. Simple encouraging phrases like “Let’s go!” or “We can do this!” can be helpful letting the team know you believe you can play well and win.
• This can be especially important if your teammate has been chewed out by the coach for a mistake. Piling on won’t help, so help pick him up. Let him know he can improve and that you believe he will do better the next time. A simple pat on the back and telling your teammate “It’ll be alright, you’ll get them next time” is a friendly reminder that you and the team supports him.
• Body language matters. Don’t do things like shrug your shoulders or throw your arms up in the air if a teammate makes a mistake. Even without saying anything, these kinds of gestures communicate negative feelings and send a bad message to your teammates. [5] X Research source

• Encourage your teammates to talk to one another as well. Show them that it’s important to appreciate good effort, even with high-fives and a simple “Way to go!”
• When facing a tough situation, like a player who doesn’t respond well to criticism or someone who is causing trouble, find ways to talk to them away from the rest of the team. Ask about his concerns and let him know how what he is doing hurts himself and the team. Remember to be firm and consistent, and remind him that actions that hurt the team can’t be tolerated. [6] X Research source
• Remember that, on the field, you are in charge. If you’ve decided how something should be done, communicate that quickly and confidently. Tell them “This is what we are doing,” and don't be afraid to explain your decisions. The more consistent you can be in explaining what you want to do will help your teammates trust and follow you.
• The team probably won't like every decision you make. That is one of the tough parts of being a leader. If they know they can trust you, it will be easier to accept your choices, even if they disagree or it doesn’t work out.
• Make sure you listen to your teammates’ suggestions for improvement as well. This lets them know that you value their opinion, and can take advice as well as give it. Besides, you know that your game can always improve.

• You don’t want this to be too accusatory, saying things like “You’re doing it wrong.” Try to be more suggestive, saying things like “Why don’t you try this,” or “Just remember to do this one other thing when you make this move.”
• This means talking to your fellow captains too. Lots of teams have more than one captain, so you need to be willing to work with your fellow captains to make sure you are all on the same page.

• Work with your coach to help create these goals. You want to make sure they are consistent with your coach’s vision for how the team should be run and the success you have.

Setting an Example Off the Field

• You need to be familiar with all of your teammates, including the best ways to motivate them. Not everyone responds to motivation the same way, so you’ll need to know the best ways to motivate and encourage each of them individually.
• Avoid team cliques. You are part of a team made up of players, not a team made up of teams. You won’t be able to make everyone friends, but you should be willing to break up groups that exclude other members.
• If you have personal issues with a teammate, it is always better to discuss them in private. You want to avoid calling out teammates in public, which can cause embarrassment, and make the disagreements worse.

• If you notice problems developing in teammate’s habits or their level of play that the coach can’t solve, call a players-only meeting to help one another discuss issues without the coach looking over everyone. This can take some of the pressure off and make it more likely to be solved. [11] X Research source

• Some good ways include holding a team dinner or party, making a team motto and even printing up shirts with it, or maybe creating a silly postgame tradition to recognize good performances. Even just briefly talking to your teammates when you run into them outside of practice or the game can help make them feel more like a part of the team.
• Many teams will have more naturally outgoing players that like organizing social events and other morale-boosters. It is okay to let someone else be the unofficial (or official) “social coordinator” as long as you support them and make sure the whole team is included.
• Not everyone on the team will be best friends, but doing social events together will help you all learn more about each other, and remind everyone of the importance of the team.

• If you play for a school team, this means doing well in your classes and staying out of trouble. In most high schools and colleges, you won’t be able to compete if your grades are poor, so make sure you and your teammates stay eligible. Set a good example for your teammates by getting the best grades you can, encouraging success on and off the field.
• If you are a professional athlete, avoid getting into legal trouble. As a captain, you are one of the team’s most important public faces, and getting arrested or suspended is bad for your, and the team’s, image. It can also prevent you from playing, which doesn’t help your team at all.
• Whatever level or organization you play at, be careful about material you post on social media accounts. Keep your comments positive, both to your teammates and your opponents.

Expert Q&A

• A good captain will be passionate about the sport and about winning. You are involved in a competitive event and should be setting an example to others in doing what you need to do to make the team successful. Good captains demand success from themselves and their teammates. [14] X Research source Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Great captains aren’t born. Being a good leader, like any other aspect of your sport, will take time and practice. Don’t worry about making mistakes, just focus on doing your best, and you will improve. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ Ryan Tremblay. Basketball Coach. Expert Interview. 13 November 2020.
• ↑ https://usavolleyball.org/resource/guide-to-being-a-great-captain/
• ↑ https://appliedsportpsych.org/resources/resources-for-athletes/the-3-c-s-of-being-a-captain/
• ↑ http://usafootball.com/blogs/u.s.-national-team/post/10837/4-traits-of-being-a-good-captain-from-the-classroom-to-the-field
• ↑ http://www.appliedsportpsych.org/resource-center/resources-for-athletes/the-3-c-s-of-being-a-captain/

About This Article

To be a good team captain, always give 100 percent during games and practices so that you can lead by example. You should also demonstrate good sportsmanship by treating your opponents, officials, and coaches with respect. If you make a mistake, own up to it and apologize if necessary, instead of making excuses. Additionally, use phrases like "We can do this!" to build team spirit and let your teammates know you believe in them. For more tips, like how to set goals for your team, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How To Be A Good Sports Captain

Although some coaches believe in avoiding captains altogether, it is unquestionable how many positive outcomes can come from allowing players to take on leadership roles, such as in the form of a captaincy. Giving a player or two an armband can be great for developing confidence, leadership, positivity and teamwork within the entire team; not just the captain(s). This article will explore how players can be good sports captains, and how they can establish themselves within their teams to make the coach take notice of their leadership qualities.

1. POSITIVITY & BELIEF

First and foremost, a captain needs to be positive and have an optimistic mindset. They should have belief in themselves and their ability, and believe in all of their teammates as well. When times are tough, captains are often responsible for motivating their teams to perform better and help motivate those that are low in confidence. A coach is responsible for this too, but ultimately they are not able to step onto the field. Captains are, and so they have a crucial role in keeping the environment a positive one. Doing things like discouraging trash talk between teammates or against opposition, and praising their teammates for doing a good job are two small things that players can do to help keep the environment positive.

2. teamwork & motivation

A good sports captain is never afraid to help all members of their team to succeed. Whether it be through 1on1 chats with other players, or helping those that are struggling to fit in. Captains make sure all of the players on the team feel like they belong, and like the other players trust and respect them. When a player gets left out of a group or doesn’t have a partner, they will automatically feel discouraged. It’s up to the captain sometimes to pull a player in to be their partner or to invite them to join their group. If any individuals on the team are selfish and not in it for the team, it may be up to the captain to have a chat and remind their teammate of the fact that it’s a team sport and that everyone needs to work together if they are to succeed. 

3. second in command coach 

A good sports captain will often look to help with whatever the coach needs. The coach simply cannot devote their time to everything and everyone, especially if they are the only coach for the team. Captains could help by cleaning up or setting up activities, taking care of loose balls, leading warm-ups, leading team-talks, getting players organized, making sure other players are listening, helping carry equipment, etc. The list is endless. But the captain should not wait for the coach to tell them what to do. A good sports captain will take initiative and either ask the coach what can be done, or even do things without asking what the coach needs, such as getting their teammates into a rondo or dynamic movements upon arrival.

4. lead by example 

A good sports captain leads by example. Not just with their teamwork, attitude and positivity, but also what they do out on the field with and without the ball. A good sports captain is constantly reflecting on how to improve their game, so that they can lead by example on the field. The captain should pay extra close attention to the coaching points given each and every session, so that they can reiterate them out on the field and have the know-how of what to do in various situations themselves. The best captains are those that every single player can look up to as a role model for both behaviour and performance. Captains should therefore be eager to arrive early or on time, and always try and put things in perspective. Positivity is important, and the captain needs to lead right from the front by example with that positive attitude and belief. 

So there it is! 4 ways to be a good sports captain! If you are interested in reading more about how to be a great captain and leader for your team, see our article The Qualities of a Good Sports Captain . Also be sure to check out more from our Player Education section, including quizzes and challenges like the Leadership, Teamwork & Positivity Player Development Card. 

Thanks for reading and see you soon!

You might also enjoy… ->  Why Players Should Be Open To Playing Different Positions – >  How To Move Like A World Class Striker

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Thank you Amin and thanks for reading! Always interested to hear what you want to see more of.

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Building Leadership Skills: Learn the Qualities to be a Strong and Influential Team Captain

Being a team captain indicates you possess certain qualities to be a leader. As a captain, you are uniquely positioned to be an example and guide for others to perform better. Since high school athletics offer invaluable opportunities to develop life skills, your guidance is essential. Your inspiration and motivation can enhance qualities like responsibility, leadership, and confidence to shape futures to be positive and productive. This responsibility can help you grow as a leader and motivate your teammates to do the same on and off the field.

Let’s explore how to build leadership qualities first and what characteristics are needed to be an influential team captain.

Building Leadership Skills

Leadership is a process that requires self-awareness, practice, continuous learning, and mindfulness. Here are some critical steps to help you build leadership skills.

Self-Reflection

Start by understanding your strengths, weaknesses, values, and goals. Self-awareness is the foundation of effective leadership. Reflect on your experiences and consider what type of leader you want to become. Understand who you are and what you are doing.

Set Clear Goals

Define your leadership goals. What do you want to achieve as a leader? Having clear objectives will guide your development and help you measure your progress. Write them down on paper so you can expand the ideas.

Develop Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence involves understanding and managing one’s own emotions as well as the emotions of others. If you don’t have control, others will not, and it will be difficult to follow your lead. Emotional intelligence is a critical quality for a captain. Practice empathy, active listening, self-regulation, and self-control.

Communication Skills

Effective communication is the foundation for a leader. Work on your ability to express ideas clearly, positively, and constructively. Learn to listen and adapt your communication style to your team actively. Influential leaders are great motivators.

Build Confidence

Confidence is an essential trait for leaders. Believe in your abilities and decisions, but avoid overconfidence and being egotistical. Confidence, combined with humility, is a powerful leadership quality.

Leadership often comes with setbacks and challenges. Developing resilience is the key to perseverance. Together, they create a powerful combination to bounce back from failures and continue moving forward.

Feedback and Self-Improvement

Be open to constructive criticism, not negative. You only see what you can see in the mirror. Others will see you differently. Use feedback to improve your leadership skills in a positive, constructive way. Don’t perceive feedback as negative and deconstructive.

Practice Patience

Building leadership skills takes time. Patience is crucial to understanding. Don’t expect to become a great leader overnight. Stay patient, persistent, and committed to your growth.

Captain Qualities

High school athletes who aspire to become influential team captains have a remarkable opportunity to hone their leadership skills. The lessons you learn as a team captain will benefit your sports career and lay the foundation for your leadership journey in life beyond the field. So, step up, embrace the challenges, and become the leader your team needs you to be to succeed.

1. Lead by Example

Leading by example is one of the core principles of leadership. As a captain, you must demonstrate the same behavior and work ethic you expect from your teammates. Whether it’s showing up early for practice, giving your all in every game, or exhibiting good sportsmanship, your actions will determine the team’s standard.

Consistently displaying the values you want your team to uphold will help you earn their respect and trust.

2. Effective Communication

Clear and effective communication is the centerpiece for any leader or captain. It is difficult to express your ideas without good, clear, and respectful communication. And expressing your thoughts and ideas concisely and understandably is essential. As a captain, you are often responsible for bridging the gap between coaches and players. So, the ability to convey feedback and concerns is critical.

Furthermore, maintaining an open line of communication encourages a supportive and harmonious team environment.

3. Motivate and Inspire

A great leader possesses the ability to motivate and inspire their team even in challenging times. As a captain, keeping your team focused and driven towards success is essential. You can instill confidence and determination to help your team easily tackle any obstacle by providing encouragement and positive reinforcement.

Your positive attitude and enthusiasm can spread like wildfire and aid the team in overcoming any obstacles.

4. Respect and Sportsmanship

Respect is fundamental to effective leadership, particularly when handling opponents, officials, and teammates. It is not so easily given, so you will find yourself having to earn it. As a team captain, it is your responsibility to establish the standard for sportsmanship. Encouraging honesty, fair play, and respect on and off the field. Remember that your behavior affects you and reflects the team.

If you desire to earn respect from others, you must demonstrate it in your actions.

5. Decision-Making

As a team captain, you may find yourself in situations that require quick and effective decision-making. For instance, during a game, you might need to make split-second choices or contribute to the team’s strategies and tactics. Or you might have to relax aggressive behavior.

Learn to develop your decision-making skills. Your choices will directly impact your team’s performance and success.

6. Embrace Accountability

One of the most essential traits of a captain is the willingness to take responsibility for their actions and decisions. Also, admitting your mistake and faults show you are not embarrassed. Acknowledging your mistakes helps you to use them as an opportunity for growth. This shows your integrity and demonstrates to your team that you are accountable and willing to learn.

Produce a culture of responsibility within the team, and you will create success.

7. Adaptability

Sports are inherently unpredictable, and plans can change abruptly. As a captain, it is necessary to remain flexible and assist your team in adapting to various situations, outcomes, and results.

Your capacity to adjust and stay composed under pressure will boost your teammates’ confidence.

Remember that leadership is a journey, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Everyone’s path to leadership is unique, so focus on developing the skills and qualities that align with your values and goals. Making leadership natural is the selling point, not being something you’re not.

Additionally, be adaptable and open to refining your leadership approach as you gain experience and learn from successes and failures.

Recommendation Reading and Viewing

Check out my INSTANT STRENGTH book for total strength, speed, and power programs.

To maximize stability, mobility, and flexibility, check out my book, THE BALANCED BODY.

To see great exercises, methods, and techniques videos, subscribe to my YouTube channel, BALANCED BODY.

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8 Qualities of a Great Soccer Captain (All Responsibilities)

The role of captain on any soccer team is highly sought after.

It’s a position of honor.

But how does a coach choose the right player for this coveted leadership role?

What if there are no obvious captain choices who are ready to lead on your soccer team?  

We’ve compiled a list of the 8 top qualities to look for in a truly great soccer captain.

And don’t worry, you can find a developing soccer captain that’s right for your team on any roster. Because leaders are made and not born, remember?

Qualities of a Great Soccer Captain

Remember, the role of soccer captain is a leadership role.

While the captain takes direction from the coach, they should also be a positive field presence who communicates well with teammates on and off the field.

A good team captain can be a crucial piece in executing your vision for the team.

A bad one can demoralize a competent team and cause serious problems.

So, here are 8 qualities to look in your next team captain:

#1 - Punctuality

It may sound basic, but teams take cues from their leaders.

Your team captain should be a player who has no problem showing up early, is ready on time, and primed to work.

A captain who is frequently absent or late sends a message to the rest of the team:

“They’ve got better things going on elsewhere.”

Punctuality in a team captain sets an example and expectation.

#2 - Hardworking

There’s a common misconception that the most talented player on your soccer team should automatically take the place of team captain.

But there are many players who are naturally quite talented and don’t feel the need to develop their skills too much.

We’ll say instead that your team captain should definitely be amongst your hardest working players. If they also happen to be a gifted player, all the better.

#3 - Humble

Arrogant, disdainful, and entitled team captains do you and your players NO FAVORS!

The mark of a potentially excellent captain are that they:

⚽️ Actively campaign for the position

⚽️ Brag about their skills or perceived superiority on the field

⚽️ Broadcast their qualifications for the job of captain

⚽️ Resort to trying to charm or bribe their way to captain

⚽️ Over-celebrate goals or wins on the field

⚽️ Downplay their own skills, experience, or good qualities

⚽️ Play-up the skills and achievements of their teammates

⚽️ Show interest in the team’s success as a unit, not as an individual

#4 - Self-Confident

A great team captain is also confident.

Self-confidence in a player competing for a leadership role will be clear in different ways:

Do they carry themselves well?

Do they appear prepared for the day?

Can they maintain eye contact in a conversation?

Do they strike the ball timidly or do they strike it with confidence?

Confident players don’t have to get it right every time, but rather they show in their willingness to take risks, to commit, and to be present in the moment.

#5 - Great Communicator

The role of team captain requires communication, so yours should be good at it.

They should be someone who is able to communicate on the field with their teammates.

In some ways, your soccer captain is also your disciple, reinforcing items you have brought up with the team on and off the field.

Your team captain is more likely than anyone to say:

“Okay, let’s run this just like we drilled in practice, remember what coach said. Let’s go!”

#6 - Respectful

Towards you, their teammates, referees, parents, and especially towards their opponents.

Remember, team captains set the tone.  

Everyone benefits from respectful leadership on the field -- especially if your long game is not only to field a superb team of players but to develop a group of exceptional people. 

#7 - Emotionally Intelligent

Soccer is an emotional game.

Emotional intelligence is a multifaceted leadership quality, but the elements you’ll want to look for in a team captain are:

⚽️ Self-regulation ⚽️ Motivation ⚽️ Empathy ⚽️ Social Skills

These will be important skills in helping get your team through emotional wins and losses.

This will show up post-match after a loss in a tough match-up or season-ender. 

All of your players have worked hard. Some of them may “lose it” emotionally if the game result is crushing. They need a leader on the field who has some modicum of self-regulation.

A good team captain can show their sadness, even cry, without being that crazy player who is throwing equipment in a fit of rage.

Team captains with emotional intelligence are also game-savers under pressure.

Who else is going to be able to stabilize a team at half-time and motivate when you’re behind?  

Many teams crumble under pressure after a bad call, after a missed opportunity, or when they are down with just minutes left on the clock…

The stabilizing presence of an emotionally competent team captain can definitely have a positive impact on your soccer team. They can diffuse panic.

Make sure that your selected captain is someone you can envision leading sobbing players off the field and giving them some whispered encouragement that helps in the moment.

#8 - Selfless

Excellent captains on the field are ones who put the team ahead of themselves.

Selfless people in leadership roles are often called servant leaders.

You want one of them.

They place development of the TEAM first and will help you optimize team play. 

Roles and Responsibilities of a Captain

The responsibilities assigned to the captain of your team are largely up to you as the coach.

You may have specific responsibilities you want to associate with the soccer captain position.

Be sure to discuss these with prospective captains in advance so they’re aware of the commitment they’re agreeing to if selected.

For example:

If you require an additional time or work commitment from your team captain, make sure they’re willing and able to accept that commitment.

At the most basic level, all players should feel comfortable talking to your chosen team captain.

They may bring questions and concerns to your attention on other players’ behalf.

Further, some more involved captains may take an active role in player development if their own skills are already well-developed.

That’s why you’ll often see a great team captain partnering with weaker players during practices and drills to encourage them and offer tips.

Ceremonial Duty

Officially, the team captain’s only duty is to represent their team on the field during the ceremonial coin toss.

(Although you and I know that they do a whole lot more than that)

Some players may feel uneasy in this position.

So make sure your prospective captain understands this ceremonial duty and feels comfortable on the field with the referee and their opponent’s representative for the coin toss.

Developing a Soccer Captain:

If you can’t find one, make one.

After reading the list above, maybe you think there isn’t a player on your team with all of the qualities of a great captain.  

Your future team leader may be quiet or shy right now.

So it may be hard to identify a potential captain or some of the qualities listed above in shy or precocious younger players — they’re still developing.

And as the coach, you’ll be the one helping to develop these qualities in all of your players.  

There are bound to be individual players who embody even the earliest beginnings of soccer captain-level qualities.

Creating Tomorrow's Leaders:

So, you’ll need to look ahead.

Ask yourself these questions:

“In the FUTURE, could I see Player X being self-confident (punctual, humble, respectful, etc.)?”

“With a little practice, could I see Player Y being a great communicator (emotionally intelligent, respectful, selfless, etc.)?”

Ask yourself these questions regarding each of your players.

Use your imagination and project down the road a bit.

There are probably a few candidates that you hadn’t considered.

Be what you want to see!

You’re looking for a young player who embodies all of these great qualities in a team leader.

If you want to see it, you also have to be it...

Because your players take cues from you!

Show them as a coach, as a leader, the qualities that you value.

Let your team know what you are looking for in a soccer captain.

Ask them why those qualities are important in a captain.

Your players will appreciate it and strive to embody what you value.  

And, finally, allow yourself to be surprised by who rises to the occasion.

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Team Captain: The Importance of Picking the Right One in Sports

Table of Contents

Team Captain Selection Process

The team captain selection process is something that takes careful planning and strong consideration. A coach should take the time to figure out exactly which way they would like to approach the process in order to ensure the most effective outcome for their team in the long run.

Do Not Quickly Move through the Process

Be realistic with expectations and pressures.

While a team captain is expected to be a leader, many young people do not understand the full scope of leadership or what their approach to situations would be. Coaches need to make sure to remember that (first and foremost) they are dealing with kids, teenagers, or young adults. It’s a major juggling act because coaches are the people that set the expectations for their teams but also need to keep themselves from exerting too much pressure on impressionable minds.

While it would be amazing to have a team captain that could police all of their teammates, provide constant and appropriate motivation, and get teammates that do not care about academics to do better, that is way too much for a young person to handle. Coaches should tailor their expectations to the ages of their athletes and be that source of constant support if their captains have questions or concerns.

How to Choose the Right Team Captain

Let the team vote.

While that sounds all good and well, one of the major drawbacks of this method is that the coach selection process could become a popularity contest. Just like any other social activity, sports can become an area where popular team members dominate both on and off the field. If too much power is given to the teammates, they could vote for someone that is popular in a social setting but does not have the necessary skills to lead a team when times get tough.

It is much harder for young athletes to understand concepts like emotional intelligence because their minds are still forming. As a coach, it is important to closely monitor the maturity level of your athletes when determining who would be the best all-around choice.

Coaching Staff Selections

However, coaches are human beings and the idea or ​ expectation that they should be objective is not realistic. Whether they want to admit it or not, coaches naturally favor some athletes or another because they might have better chemistry or energy with them on and off the field. Giving too much power to a coach during this crucial process could be detrimental to the team in the long run.

Team Nominations with Coach Endorsement

In order to avoid any disagreements concerning team member selections and coaching expectations, the coaching staff needs to stress the seriousness of the process and go into great detail about the duties that the captain is expected to accomplish on and off the field. If a clear rubric is laid out, the team and coaches will be in greater agreement with one another when nominations are due.

The Importance of Picking a Team Captain in Sports

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How to Write a Non-Cliche College Essay About Sports + Examples

What’s covered:, what makes a sports essay cliche.

• How To Make Your Sports Essay Unique

Great Examples of College Essays About Sports

Where to get your college essay edited for free, or by an expert.

You’ve been brainstorming essay topics for your college applications, and you think you’ve finally found the right one: an extended metaphor likening your experience on the field with overcoming personal struggles. The problem: many other students have this same thought. 

The purpose of a college essay is to make yourself stand out as a unique individual, but when students write about sports, they often blend in. Because of that, students are usually advised to pick a different topic.

That being said, it is possible to write a non-cliche college essay about sports if you put in a little extra effort. Read along to learn how to make your sports essay different from all the other sports essays.

Sports essays are cliche when they follow a standard trajectory. Some of these trajectories include writing a story about:

• An agonizing defeat
• Forging bonds with teammates
• Overcoming adversity
• Overcoming an injury
• Refusing to quit
• Victory during a big game

Because sports essays have very similar themes and “lessons learned,” it can be difficult to make your story stand out. These trajectories also often focus too much on the sport or storyline, and not enough on the writer’s reflections and personality.

As you write your essay, try to think about what your experience says about you rather than what you learned from your experience. You are more than just one lesson you learned!

(Keep in mind that the sports essay is not the only college essay cliche. Learn about other essay cliches and how to fix them in our complete guide).

How to Make Your Sports Essay Unique

1. focus on a specific moment or reflection..

The college essay is a way for students to humanize themselves to admissions officers. You do not feel human if you are describing yourself as just another player on the field!

One important way to make your essay about you (not just about sports) is by focusing on a specific moment in time and inviting the reader to join you in that moment. Explain to the reader what it would be like to be sitting in that locker room as you questioned the values of the other players on your team. Ask your reader to sit with you on the cot in the trainer’s room as your identity was stripped away from you when they said “your body can’t take this anymore.” Bring your reader to the dinner table and involve them in your family’s conversation about how sports were affecting your mental health and your treatment of those around you.

Intense descriptions of a specific experience will evoke emotions in your reader and allow them to connect with you and feel for you.

When in doubt, avoid anything that can be covered by ESPN. On ESPN, we see the games, we see the benches, we even see the locker rooms and training rooms. Take your reader somewhere different and show them something unique.

2. Use sports to point out broader themes in your life.

The main risk when writing about sports is neglecting to write about yourself. Before you get started, think about the main values that you want to express in your sports essay. Sports are simply your avenue for telling the reader what makes you unique. 

As a test, imagine if you were a pianist. Would you be able to talk about these same values? What if you were a writer? Or a chemist? Articulating your values is the end, and sports should simply be your means.

Some values that you might want to focus on:

• Autonomy (you want to be able to set your mind to anything and achieve it on your own)
• Growth (you seek improvement constantly)
• Curiosity (you are willing to try anything once)
• Vulnerability (you aren’t afraid to fail, as long as you give it your all)
• Community (you value the feedback of others and need camaraderie to succeed)
• Craft (you think that with deliberate care, anything can be perfected)
• Responsibility (you believe that you owe something to those around you and perhaps they also owe something to you)

You can use the ESPN check again to make sure that you are using sports as an avenue to show your depth.

Things ESPN covers: how a player reacts to defeat, how injuries affect a player’s gameplay/attitude, how players who don’t normally work well together are working together on their new team.

Things ESPN doesn’t cover: the conversation that a player had with their mother about fear of death before going into a big surgery (value: family and connection), the ways that the intense pressure to succeed consumed a player to the point they couldn’t be there for the people in their life (value: supporting others and community), the body image issues that weigh on a player’s mind when playing their sport and how they overcame those (value: health and growth).

3. Turn a cliche storyline on its head.

There’s no getting around the fact that sports essays are often cliche. But there is a way to confront the cliche head-on. For example, lots of people write essays about the lessons they learned from an injury, victory, and so on, but fewer students explain how they are embracing those lessons. 

Perhaps you learned that competition is overwhelming for you and you prefer teamwork, so you switched from playing basketball to playing Dungeons & Dragons. Maybe, when your softball career ended abruptly, you had to find a new identity and that’s when you became obsessed with your flower garden and decided to pursue botany. Or maybe, you have stuck with football through it all, but your junior-year mental health struggle showed you that football should be fun and you have since started a nonprofit for local children to healthily engage with sports.

If your story itself is more cliche, try bringing readers to the present moment with you and show why the cliche matters and what it did for you. This requires a fair amount of creativity. Ensure you’re not parroting a frequently used topic by really thinking deeply to find your own unique spin.

Night had robbed the academy of its daytime colors, yet there was comfort in the dim lights that cast shadows of our advances against the bare studio walls. Silhouettes of roundhouse kicks, spin crescent kicks, uppercuts and the occasional butterfly kick danced while we sparred. She approached me, eyes narrowed with the trace of a smirk challenging me. “Ready spar!” Her arm began an upward trajectory targeting my shoulder, a common first move. I sidestepped — only to almost collide with another flying fist. Pivoting my right foot, I snapped my left leg, aiming my heel at her midsection. The center judge raised one finger. 

There was no time to celebrate, not in the traditional sense at least. Master Pollard gave a brief command greeted with a unanimous “Yes, sir” and the thud of 20 hands dropping-down-and-giving-him-30, while the “winners” celebrated their victory with laps as usual. 

Three years ago, seven-thirty in the evening meant I was a warrior. It meant standing up straighter, pushing a little harder, “Yes, sir” and “Yes, ma’am”, celebrating birthdays by breaking boards, never pointing your toes, and familiarity. Three years later, seven-thirty in the morning meant I was nervous. 

The room is uncomfortably large. The sprung floor soaks up the checkerboard of sunlight piercing through the colonial windows. The mirrored walls further illuminate the studio and I feel the light scrutinizing my sorry attempts at a pas de bourrée, while capturing the organic fluidity of the dancers around me. “Chassé en croix, grand battement, pique, pirouette.” I follow the graceful limbs of the woman in front of me, her legs floating ribbons, as she executes what seems to be a perfect ronds de jambes. Each movement remains a negotiation. With admirable patience, Ms. Tan casts me a sympathetic glance.   

There is no time to wallow in the misery that is my right foot. Taekwondo calls for dorsiflexion; pointed toes are synonymous with broken toes. My thoughts drag me into a flashback of the usual response to this painful mistake: “You might as well grab a tutu and head to the ballet studio next door.” Well, here I am Master Pollard, unfortunately still following your orders to never point my toes, but no longer feeling the satisfaction that comes with being a third degree black belt with 5 years of experience quite literally under her belt. It’s like being a white belt again — just in a leotard and ballet slippers. 

But the appetite for new beginnings that brought me here doesn’t falter. It is only reinforced by the classical rendition of “Dancing Queen” that floods the room and the ghost of familiarity that reassures me that this new beginning does not and will not erase the past. After years spent at the top, it’s hard to start over. But surrendering what you are only leads you to what you may become. In Taekwondo, we started each class reciting the tenets: honor, courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control, courage, humility, and knowledge, and I have never felt that I embodied those traits more so than when I started ballet. 

The thing about change is that it eventually stops making things so different. After nine different schools, four different countries, three different continents, fluency in Tamil, Norwegian, and English, there are more blurred lines than there are clear fragments. My life has not been a tactfully executed, gold medal-worthy Taekwondo form with each movement defined, nor has it been a series of frappés performed by a prima ballerina with each extension identical and precise, but thankfully it has been like the dynamics of a spinning back kick, fluid, and like my chances of landing a pirouette, unpredictable. 

Why it works:

What’s especially powerful about this essay is that the author uses detailed imagery to convey a picture of what they’re experiencing, so much so that the reader is along for the ride. This works as a sports essay not only because of the language and sensory details, but also because the writer focuses on a specific moment in time, while at the same time exploring why Taekwondo is such an important part of their life.

After the emotional image is created, the student finishes their essay with valuable reflection. With the reflection, they show admissions officers that they are mature and self-aware. Self-awareness comes through with statements like “surrendering what you are only leads you to what you may become” and maturity can be seen through the student’s discussion of values “honor, courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control, courage, humility, and knowledge, and I have never felt that I embodied those traits more so than when I started ballet.” These are the kinds of comments that should find their way into a sports essay!

“Advanced females ages 13 to 14 please proceed to staging with your coaches at this time.” Skittering around the room, eyes wide and pleading, I frantically explained my situation to nearby coaches. The seconds ticked away in my head; every polite refusal increased my desperation.

Despair weighed me down. I sank to my knees as a stream of competitors, coaches, and officials flowed around me. My dojang had no coach, and the tournament rules prohibited me from competing without one.

Although I wanted to remain strong, doubts began to cloud my mind. I could not help wondering: what was the point of perfecting my skills if I would never even compete? The other members of my team, who had found coaches minutes earlier, attempted to comfort me, but I barely heard their words. They couldn’t understand my despair at being left on the outside, and I never wanted them to understand.

Since my first lesson 12 years ago, the members of my dojang have become family. I have watched them grow up, finding my own happiness in theirs. Together, we have honed our kicks, blocks, and strikes. We have pushed one another to aim higher and become better martial artists. Although my dojang had searched for a reliable coach for years, we had not found one. When we attended competitions in the past, my teammates and I had always gotten lucky and found a sympathetic coach. Now, I knew this practice was unsustainable. It would devastate me to see the other members of my dojang in my situation, unable to compete and losing hope as a result. My dojang needed a coach, and I decided it was up to me to find one. 

I first approached the adults in the dojang – both instructors and members’ parents. However, these attempts only reacquainted me with polite refusals. Everyone I asked told me they couldn’t devote multiple weekends per year to competitions. I soon realized that I would have become the coach myself.

At first, the inner workings of tournaments were a mystery to me. To prepare myself for success as a coach, I spent the next year as an official and took coaching classes on the side. I learned everything from motivational strategies to technical, behind-the-scenes components of Taekwondo competitions. Though I emerged with new knowledge and confidence in my capabilities, others did not share this faith.

Parents threw me disbelieving looks when they learned that their children’s coach was only a child herself. My self-confidence was my armor, deflecting their surly glances. Every armor is penetrable, however, and as the relentless barrage of doubts pounded my resilience, it began to wear down. I grew unsure of my own abilities.

Despite the attack, I refused to give up. When I saw the shining eyes of the youngest students preparing for their first competition, I knew I couldn’t let them down. To quit would be to set them up to be barred from competing like I was. The knowledge that I could solve my dojang’s longtime problem motivated me to overcome my apprehension.

Now that my dojang flourishes at competitions, the attacks on me have weakened, but not ended. I may never win the approval of every parent; at times, I am still tormented by doubts, but I find solace in the fact that members of my dojang now only worry about competing to the best of their abilities.

Now, as I arrive at a tournament with my students, I close my eyes and remember the past. I visualize the frantic search for a coach and the chaos amongst my teammates as we compete with one another to find coaches before the staging calls for our respective divisions. I open my eyes to the exact opposite scene. Lacking a coach hurt my ability to compete, but I am proud to know that no member of my dojang will have to face that problem again.

In the beginning, you might think this is another cliche sports essay about overcoming adversity. But instead, it becomes a unique statement and coming-of-age tale that reads as a suspenseful narrative. 

The author connects their experience with martial arts to larger themes in their life but manages to do so without riffing off of tried-and-true themes. Through statements like “I knew I couldn’t let them down. To quit would be to set them up to be barred from competing like I was” we learn about the students values and their desire to be there for those who depend on them. 

The student also brings it full circle, demonstrating their true transformation. By using the “Same, but Different” ending technique , the student places themself in the same environment that we saw in the intro, but experiences it differently due to their actions throughout the narrative. This is very compelling!

“1…2…3…4 pirouettes! New record!” My friends cheered as I landed my turns. Pleased with my progress, I gazed down at my worn-out pointe shoes. The sweltering blisters, numbing ice-baths, and draining late-night practices did not seem so bad after all. Next goal: five turns.

For as long as I can remember, ballet, in all its finesse and glamor, had kept me driven day to day. As a child, the lithe ballerinas, donning ethereal costumes as they floated across the stage, were my motivation. While others admired Messi and Adele, I idolized Carlos Acosta, principal dancer of the Royal Ballet. 

As I devoted more time and energy towards my craft, I became obsessed with improving my technique. I would stretch for hours after class, forcing my leg one inch higher in an effort to mirror the Dance Magazine cover girls. I injured my feet and ruined pair after pair of pointe shoes, turning on wood, cement, and even grass to improve my balance as I spun. At competitions, the dancers with the 180-degree leg extensions, endless turns, and soaring leaps—the ones who received “Bravos!” from the roaring audience—further pushed me to refine my skills and perfect my form. I believed that, with enough determination, I would one day attain their level of perfection. Reaching the quadruple-pirouette milestone only intensified my desire to accomplish even more. 

My efforts seemed to have come to fruition two summers ago when I was accepted to dance with Moscow’s Bolshoi Ballet at their renowned New York City summer intensive. I walked into my first session eager to learn from distinguished ballet masters and worldly dancers, already anticipating my improvement. Yet, as I danced alongside the accomplished ballerinas, I felt out of place. Despite their clean technique and professional training, they did not aim for glorious leg extensions or prodigious leaps. When they performed their turn combinations, most of them only executed two turns as I attempted four. 

“Dancers, double-pirouettes only.” 

Taken aback and confused, I wondered why our teacher expected so little from us. The other ballerinas seemed content, gracing the studio with their simple movements. 

As I grew closer with my Moscow roommates, I gradually learned that their training emphasized the history of the art form instead of stylistic tricks. Rather than show off their physical ability, their performances aimed to convey a story, one that embodied the rich culture of ballet and captured both the legacy of the dancers before them and their own artistry. As I observed my friends more intently in repertoire class, I felt the pain of the grief-stricken white swan from Swan Lake, the sass of the flirtatious Kitri from Don Quijote, and I gradually saw what I had overlooked before. My definition of talent had been molded by crowd-pleasing elements—whirring pirouettes, gravity-defying leaps, and mind-blowing leg extensions. This mindset slowly stripped me from the roots of my passion and my personal connection with ballet. 

With the Bolshoi, I learned to step back and explore the meaning behind each step and the people behind the scenes. Ballet carries history in its movements, from the societal values of the era to each choreographer’s unique flair. As I uncovered the messages behind each pirouette, kick, and jump, my appreciation for ballet grew beyond my obsession with raw athleticism and developed into a love for the art form’s emotive abilities in bridging the dancers with the audience. My journey as an artist has allowed me to see how technical execution is only the means to a greater understanding between dancer and spectator, between storyteller and listener. The elegance and complexity of ballet does not revolve around astonishing stunts but rather the evocative strength and artistry manifested in the dancer, in me. It is the combination of sentiments, history, tradition, and passion that has allowed ballet and its lessons of human connection to become my lifestyle both on and off stage.

This essay is about lessons. While the author is a dancer, this narrative isn’t really about ballet, per se — it’s about the author’s personal growth. It is purposefully reflective as the student shows a nice character arc that begins with an eager young ballerina and ends with a reflection on their past. The primary strength of this essay is the honesty and authenticity that the student approaches it with.

In the end, the student turns a cliche on its head as they embrace the idea of overcoming adversity and demonstrate how the adversity, in this case, was their own stereotypes about their art. It’s beautiful!

“Getting beat is one thing – it’s part of competing – but I want no part in losing.” Coach Rob Stark’s motto never fails to remind me of his encouragement on early-morning bus rides to track meets around the state. I’ve always appreciated the phrase, but an experience last June helped me understand its more profound, universal meaning.

Stark, as we affectionately call him, has coached track at my high school for 25 years. His care, dedication, and emphasis on developing good character has left an enduring impact on me and hundreds of other students. Not only did he help me discover my talent and love for running, but he also taught me the importance of commitment and discipline and to approach every endeavor with the passion and intensity that I bring to running. When I learned a neighboring high school had dedicated their track to a longtime coach, I felt that Stark deserved similar honors.

Our school district’s board of education indicated they would only dedicate our track to Stark if I could demonstrate that he was extraordinary. I took charge and mobilized my teammates to distribute petitions, reach out to alumni, and compile statistics on the many team and individual champions Stark had coached over the years. We received astounding support, collecting almost 3,000 signatures and pages of endorsements from across the community. With help from my teammates, I presented this evidence to the board.

They didn’t bite. 

Most members argued that dedicating the track was a low priority. Knowing that we had to act quickly to convince them of its importance, I called a team meeting where we drafted a rebuttal for the next board meeting. To my surprise, they chose me to deliver it. I was far from the best public speaker in the group, and I felt nervous about going before the unsympathetic board again. However, at that second meeting, I discovered that I enjoy articulating and arguing for something that I’m passionate about.

Public speaking resembles a cross country race. Walking to the starting line, you have to trust your training and quell your last minute doubts. When the gun fires, you can’t think too hard about anything; your performance has to be instinctual, natural, even relaxed. At the next board meeting, the podium was my starting line. As I walked up to it, familiar butterflies fluttered in my stomach. Instead of the track stretching out in front of me, I faced the vast audience of teachers, board members, and my teammates. I felt my adrenaline build, and reassured myself: I’ve put in the work, my argument is powerful and sound. As the board president told me to introduce myself, I heard, “runners set” in the back of my mind. She finished speaking, and Bang! The brief silence was the gunshot for me to begin. 

The next few minutes blurred together, but when the dust settled, I knew from the board members’ expressions and the audience’s thunderous approval that I had run quite a race. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough; the board voted down our proposal. I was disappointed, but proud of myself, my team, and our collaboration off the track. We stood up for a cause we believed in, and I overcame my worries about being a leader. Although I discovered that changing the status quo through an elected body can be a painstakingly difficult process and requires perseverance, I learned that I enjoy the challenges this effort offers. Last month, one of the school board members joked that I had become a “regular” – I now often show up to meetings to advocate for a variety of causes, including better environmental practices in cafeterias and safer equipment for athletes.

Just as Stark taught me, I worked passionately to achieve my goal. I may have been beaten when I appealed to the board, but I certainly didn’t lose, and that would have made Stark proud.

This essay uses the idea of sports to explore a more profound topic—growing through relationships. They really embrace using sports as an avenue to tell the reader about a specific experience that changed the way they approach the world. 

The emphasis on relationships is why this essay works well and doesn’t fall into a cliche. The narrator grows not because of their experience with track but because of their relationship with their coach, who inspired them to evolve and become a leader.

Have a draft of your college essay? We’re here to help you polish it. Students can participate in a free Peer Review, or they can sign up for a paid review by CollegeVine’s experts. Sign up for your free CollegeVine account today to start improving your essay and your chances of acceptance!

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Sports Captain's Message

“Obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go work around it.”

Being appointed as the sports captain of the school is indeed a great achievement for me; and the very fact has helped me increase my confidence and determination .It not only gave me motivation to do well in school but in all spheres of life .Values play one of the most important role in society and determine the overall growth and personality of an individual. A person with good values is an asset not only to the society but to the nation as well. I am thankful to this institution which nurtured me with good values to serve the society.

I am blessed to be guided by my teachers who put in their soul and gave me their best possible .I joined APS, New Cantt., Prayagraj in the year 2014. My accomplishments are, without a doubt, due to support and encouragement of my teachers.

It is a matter of immense joy that our school Army Public School, New Cantt., Prayagraj is celebrating silver jubilee this year. In the span of twenty five years the school has supported its pupils by providing them opportunities and challenges that have enabled them to inculcate in themselves values of a leader.

Lastly, my message for all the students is, do not focus on what you cannot do; take a look at what you are capable of. You will feel confident and learn new things along your way.

“You don’t inspire your teammates by showing how amazing you are. You inspire them by showing how amazing they are.”

A key attribute of this position is representation, the act of speaking and acting on behalf of someone. I feel that so adequately represent something, you have to have a good understanding of it. This opportunity allows me to approachable to everyone as i have created good relationship across many areas of school, it increases my opportunity to understand and prompt issues that may arise.

“Good leaders are good communicators” and this involves both speaking and listening. Demonstrating this ability will help me better understand requirement of the role while building greater relationship between myself and the staff.

The sports leadership roles are more than just a badge and title to me. It’s a great feeling when you get a badge and sash but on the other side from that day onwards you should start serving to your school and peers.

By employing a servant-leader outlook, I would share power with student leadership body, put others need first and wherever possible assist students to perform at their highest level. Acting as a servant leader I will focus on the growth of students, which compliments my ideas about delegation, responsibility and accountability. Leadership is not set and forget, delegation is about empowerment of other, not about giving away control. When tasks are manageable it makes it easier for me to set priorities and better manage my time and resources.

A captain should embody 3 C’s is leading their team: Caring, Courageous and Consistent. And here team refers to all the children of my school.

So, at last I would end up this, taking the great honour and also great responsibilities.

Success is not just about what you accomplish in your life, it is about what you INSPIRE others to do

After being the Sports Captain Army Public School Allahabad I have learnt one thing that being a Sports Captain is not just about wearing the batch or being the boss or even just cheering your friends on. It requires the ability to inspire, motivate and raise team moral. Being a Sports Captain, I have also been the captain of my Basketball team and worked hard to give out the best results.

Being a Captain, I learnt management skills and exhibited team work and also motivated my teammates as well as to all the students to stay calm and strong in every situation. We should not aspire to be the best in the team.

Finally, I would like to wish all school leavers every success and happiness in their future career.

It is not about "How to win" but it is about "How to lose gracefully".

With hundreds of good sportsmen looking up to me for guidance and support, I knew, I had to prove myself, not once, but every time. It is not easy to managed hundreds of active restless players ready to battle, they have to be calmed down and strategized when they win they have to be taught how to be modest and when they lose they have to be counseled, motivated and brought back to path.

It was not only for the sports team which I worked but also for the rest of the students. I gained a lot of experience out of my term as a sports captain, I learnt leadership skills, sportsmanship and a lot more. I would thank all my teachers and my fellow white house members for accompanying me in this journey.

• Army Public School, Rajiv Gandhi Marg, New Cantt Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh- 211001 Phone: 0532 - 2420772 Fax: Email id: [email protected] [email protected]

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Essay on Captain

Students are often asked to write an essay on Captain in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Captain

Who is a captain.

A captain is the leader of a group, like a sports team or a ship’s crew. This person is in charge and makes important decisions. They must be brave, smart, and good at leading others.

Qualities of a Captain

The role of a captain.

Captains plan what the team does and talk to referees or other leaders. They cheer the team on and keep spirits high, even when it gets tough. They are the heart of the team.

250 Words Essay on Captain

Who is a captain.

A captain is the leader of a group, like on a sports team or on a ship. This person is in charge and makes important decisions. The captain must be brave and smart, guiding the team or crew through challenges and making sure everyone works together.

Responsibilities of a Captain

Captains have many jobs. They plan what the team or crew will do and solve problems when they come up. On a ship, the captain steers, navigates and keeps everyone safe. In sports, they talk to referees and help their teammates play by the rules.

Becoming a Captain

To become a captain, you have to earn the trust of your team or crew. You need to show that you can lead well and care about the group’s success. It takes time and hard work, but being a captain is a big honor.

Being a captain is not just about wearing a badge or a special hat. It’s about leading with courage, making smart choices, and taking care of your team or crew. A captain is a role model and an important part of any group’s success.

500 Words Essay on Captain

A captain is a person who leads, guides, and is in charge of a group. This group could be a sports team, a ship’s crew, or even a group of students. The captain is like the boss of the team, making sure everyone works together to achieve their goals.

The main job of a captain is to lead. This means they must be good at making decisions and helping their team. They also need to be brave and set a good example for others to follow. A captain must communicate well, which means they should be good at talking and listening to their team members.

Qualities of a Good Captain

Good captains share certain qualities that make them stand out. They are usually very responsible, which means they take care of their duties and make sure everything is done right. They are also fair and treat everyone equally. Being trustworthy is another important quality. This means people can rely on them to be honest and to keep their promises.

Captains must also be strong, not just in their bodies, but in their minds too. They need to stay calm when things are tough and keep trying, even when it’s hard. This is called perseverance.

Challenges Captains Face

Being a captain isn’t always easy. Sometimes they have to make tough choices that not everyone will like. They also have to be ready to solve problems that come up, whether it’s an argument between team members or a change in plans.

Why Captains Are Important

Captains are important because they help bring out the best in their team. They encourage everyone to work hard and do their best. Without a captain, teams might not be as organized or successful.

In history, captains have been heroes, leading their crews through dangerous waters or their armies to victory. Today, captains in sports can inspire their teams to win championships or help them through a tough season.

In summary, a captain is a leader who has a lot of responsibility. They must be good at making decisions, communicating, and being fair and strong. Captains face challenges, but they are important because they help their team work together and do their best. Whether on a ship, on a sports field, or in any other group, captains play a key role in guiding and inspiring those around them.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

Happy studying!

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Create a Job Description for Your Captain

By Greg Shelley , Janssen Sports Leadership Center Director of Leadership Academies at Lafayette, Colgate, and Fordham

Talent is essential but on most days talent is not enough.You also need good team leaders and captains who “buy in” to your ways of coaching and your system of training, who treat their teammates with respect and dignity, and who are willing to hold their teammates accountable. To consistently win, you will need team captains that demand the best from themselves, their teammates, and you.

Your captains should set the tone for practice, keep you and your staff informed, and model responsibility, decision-making, and a strong work ethic. You need captains who are willing to lead by example and hold their teammates to that example. In the end, your captains become the glue that bonds your team and keeps the team together through the good and bad times.

Good captainship is essential. But how do you go about identifying team captains? how do you know who will make the best captain? And how do you go about making sure the right person becomes captain?

Finding good captains is not easy. For starters, you might consider allowing your seniors to be captains. however, being a senior does not guarantee a good captain- leader. even if one of your seniors turns out to be a good leader, you may end up with another senior who is not. And one bad captain-leader can be detrimental to your team.

With that said, you could select the captains yourself. While this is easy and you get who you want . . . you do risk the possibility that your “coach selections” include players that are not respected or trusted by their teammates.

There is another option for selecting captains! how about having your athletes “apply” for the captain job? That’s right. What if you wrote a captain job description and asked all interested athletes to apply for the job?

With this method, the position, required roles, responsibilities, skills, and all the captain qualifications can be clearly outlined and discussed prior to any nomination process. You (the coach) can clarify what you want from your captains and your athletes can still have a voice in putting teammates’ names forward as possible team captains. In the end, you can “interview” your final candidates . . . and select the one or two athletes you feel will make the best captain(s).

The goal is to get your best leaders in the captain roles. Writing a captain job description and interviewing your best leaders can help you reach this goal. Below is an example of a captain job description to help you in creating a job description unique to your team needs and in-line with what you expect from your team leaders and captains.

CAPTAIN JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title: TEAM CAPTAIN

Start/End Dates: start of season – end of season

Reports to: Head Coach

Position Purpose/Summary: Be a strong leader by example (one of the hardest workers on the team, displaying a high level of commitment, focus, intensity, passion, and effort) and strong vocal leader with good communication skills (one who will encourage, support, and positively hold all teammates accountable).

The primary purpose of the TEAM CAPTAIN will be to positively influence teammates on-and-off the court, at all extracurricular school and non-school activities, and in the local community.

Duties and Responsibilities:

The TEAM CAPTAIN will be expected to: • Be on time to all team practices and team functions (at least 5-10 minutes early), • Promote a positive attitude and positive team interactions - every day, • Provide a positive role model concerning commitment, intensity, confidence, response to mistakes, composure, hustle, and a “team first” focus, • Help settle team conflicts and be willing to confront and hold teammates accountable for their on-and-off court behaviors, • Work closely with and be the “point-person” for the head coach, • Encourage and support all teammates, • Lead the team throughout the season (in good and bad times), • Perform other related team duties (as needed or requested by the coaching staff).

Working Conditions/Environment:

The TEAM CAPTAIN will be asked to perform his/her roles at all times. This includes situations when the team is not performing well, in the midst of a bad practice, when teammates are struggling to get along, and when coaches and/ or teammates are negative in what they say and how they interact with one another.

Essential Job Functions:

The TEAM CAPTAIN will be asked to:

• Be the hardest worker on the team (be the most committed/compelled),

• Model mental toughness by remaining confident and focused . . . and by responding to individual and team setbacks/mistakes in an appropriate manner,

• Develop strong interpersonal and team relations (friendships),

• Provide energy and passion,

• Compliment and support teammates,

• Challenge teammates to get better and work harder,

• Confront teammates’ negative attitudes, complaining, gossip, and lack of effort,

• Refocus teammates when distracted,

• Make good decisions (on-and-off the floor),

• Check in with the head coach.

See the 12 Daily To Do's for Captains

Abilities and Skills Needed:

• Passion and enthusiasm,

• Energy and hard work,

• Commitment to be the BEST,

• Good verbal and nonverbal communication skills,

• Strong character (good decision-making),

• Confidence and mental toughness,

• Assertiveness (to do what is needed),

• Composure (to remain cool and calm under pressure).

Qualifications Required:

A willingness to go “outside your comfort zone” and push your teammates (and yourself) to a higher level of play . . . every day!

Nominations for TEAM CAPTAIN

If you are confident that you can consistently fulfill the duties and responsibilities of TEAM CAPTAIN and have the desire, skills, and abilities to do so . . . write your name here: ________________________

If you are confident that a teammate can consistently fulfill the duties and responsibilities of TEAM CAPTAIN and they have the desire, skills, and abilities to do so . . . write your teammate’s name(s) here: ________________________ ________________________

If you had to pick only one person to be TEAM CAPTAIN . . . who would you pick? Write that person’s name here: ________________________

To learn more or to order your copy, email Greg at [email protected] or call 607-220-3760.

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History Resources

Bruised Egos, Battles, and Boycott: The 1980 Moscow Olympics

By elise stevens wilson.

Politics and sports have intermingled since the inception of the Olympic Games in Greece, but not until the 1980 Olympics did people fear that politics might destroy the Olympic movement and spirit. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the United States of America battled each other ideologically, economically, militarily, culturally, and politically in a very long Cold War that spanned more than forty years (1948–1991). In the midst of the Cold War, the two countries often met in sporting arenas around the world to compete for medals. In 1980, Moscow hosted the Summer Olympics, the first Olympics held in a communist country. Because the United States and the USSR were deep in conflict, especially over the recent movement of Soviet troops into Afghanistan in 1979, the Olympics became an extension of the political arena. The United States did not show up for the games. The 1980 Olympics were not unusual because they were political, but because the extreme degree to which they were politicized had never before been seen. Many Americans and Soviets alike feared that the Olympics would be destroyed if politics infiltrated the games.

In 1980, some Americans believed it their duty to boycott the Olympic Games. Others felt that the Olympics were meant be a de-politicized time when countries could put aside their differences and celebrate something they had in common: sports. These opinions were discussed and debated in the media. Journalists, politicians, athletes, and average citizens expressed their feelings about, and their justifications for or against, the boycott. The 1980 Summer Olympics are significant both in sports history and Cold War history.

In this two-day lesson, students will investigate the various reasons for the boycott and the ways Americans analyzed the 1980 Moscow Olympics at the time. Students will use periodicals as their tools for examining this period in history, and teachers should take the opportunity to discuss media bias. Students will gather information from articles and participate in a debate over whether the US should have boycotted. Additionally, a PowerPoint accompanies this lesson to aid in background information.

• Students will be able to identify various points of view.
• Students will be able to describe why the boycott is significant to both sports history and Cold War history.
• Students will be able to effectively debate using arguments gathered from American periodicals.
• Students will formulate opinions on whether politics should be mix with sporting events.
• 1980 Moscow Olympics: A World Divided  (PowerPoint)
• US periodicals—arguments for and against the boycott (PDF) (Some articles have been shortened to achieve equity in length.)
• US periodicals—coverage of the Moscow Olympics and the boycott (PDF)

Additional Resources

• Opening Ceremony, 1980 Moscow Olympics , YouTube 
• Closing Ceremony, 1980 Moscow Olympics , YouTube

Day One (45–60 minutes)

Use the Think, Pair, Share method or a journal prompt, and ask students the following: Do you think political disagreements between countries should affect their participation in the Olympics? Or: If you were the leader of a country, and the Olympic Games were being held in another country that you believed committed crimes against its people, would you send your athletes to that country? (5 minutes)

Use the 1980 Moscow Olympics Background PowerPoint to introduce the Cold War and the back story to the Moscow Games. (7–10 minutes)

Take some time to discuss media bias with students. Tell students that they will be working with periodicals and that they should take bias into account when reading these sources. (5 minutes)

Divide students into groups of 3–4, and give each group a different article from US periodicals—arguments for and against the boycott found under Materials. Instruct students to read the articles in groups and underline sections that express an opinion about the boycott. (10–15 minutes)

Give each group a large piece of paper and colored markers. Ask each group to discuss their article and write down key ideas. At the top, they should indicate whether are pro-boycott, anti-boycott, or split. (5–10 minutes)

In groups, students should prepare for a debate on whether America should have boycotted the Olympics in Moscow. You can set up the debate in one of two ways.

• Students can take on the personalities mentioned in the articles, such as athletes, politicians, the President, the International Olympic Committee, or even the US Olympic Committee, and debate each other on a television show that is similar to The McLaughlin Group or Meet the Press .
• Students can be members of a presidential advisory committee on the Olympics. Their job is to convince the President which position to take on the boycott.

Some articles will have opposing viewpoints, so you should divide groups into two. Students should create a slogan that best represents their opinions. This slogan can be displayed during the debate. (15 minutes)

Students should prepare for the debate. To make the debate more interesting, students can dress appropriately for their roles.

Day Two (45–60 minutes)

Most of this class period will be spent on the debate for which students have prepared the previous day. Lay down the ground rules for the debate. There are a number of different ways to hold a class debate. (5 minutes)

Here is one suggestion for a class debate:

1) Assign a student to be a moderator or the teacher can be the moderator. If you chose option (a) for the debate, the moderator can act as the television host. If you chose option (b) for the debate, the moderator can be the President of the United States. 2) Only one person may speak at a time. 3) While a person is speaking others should take notes to use to further support their position or to attack the other side. 4) Provide a time limit for each person to speak (1–2 minutes). 5) Make sure each side has an equal amount of time to speak. 6) At the end of the debate, one student from each side gets one minute to provide closing arguments. 7) Remind them that they are not students, but either the personalities from the articles or members of a presidential committee, and they can feel free to take on these roles fully.

Allow students to meet with their sides for a few minutes. They should pick who will give the closing argument and perhaps who should speak first, second, third, etc. (5 minutes)

Proceed with the debate. (15–25 minutes)

Debrief the debate. Ask students how they would feel about the boycott using the barometer method. For this method, students line up on an imaginary line in the classroom with one end of the line representing the choice to boycott, and the other the choice to attend the Olympics. Students can stand anywhere along this spectrum and justify their position. (5 minutes)

Choose one or more of the articles from US periodicals — coverage of the Moscow Olympics and the boycott found under Materials. Read the article(s) as a class, and make sure to point out the media bias. This will give students some closure to the issue of the boycott as well as allow them to see more of the language and rhetoric used during the Cold War. (10–20 minutes)

Ask students to write a response to the following prompts. (5 minutes)

• In this debate, who had the most persuasive argument and why?
• Evaluate whether the Moscow Olympic Games were an appropriate battleground for the Cold War.

Assessments

In addition to the debate and written responses, students can be assessed in the following manner:

• Students can write a letter to President Carter either in support of or in opposition to the boycott of the Moscow Olympics. Make sure they identify the reasons for their opinions.
• Students can research other Olympics that have been politicized and write a comparison paper focusing on whether sports activities should be political.
• Students can research articles from major American newspapers on whether the United States should have supported the Beijing Games in 2008. Many people felt that China, a communist country, had violated human rights and therefore should not be supported. It is an excellent, modern analogy to the Moscow Olympics.

As an extension to this lesson plan, the students can explore how Soviet periodicals covered the boycott and the Moscow Olympics. A good source with an English translation is The Current Digest of the Post-Soviet Press .

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Emma Hayes won’t let her USWNT coaching dream turn into a nightmare

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For Emma Hayes , the chance to coach the U.S. women’s soccer team is a dream come true.

It’s the biggest job in the sport, one her father, Sid, pushed her to pursue for more than a decade — and one she finally landed two months after his death.

“I’m doing the job I love,” she said last week. “I get to enjoy these amazing players.”

Yet dreams, as Hayes also knows, can sometimes turn into nightmares. So she’s under no illusion that reviving a national team that has fallen to its lowest point in decades will be easy.

“There’s lots of work to do,” she said after Saturday’s 4-0 win over South Korea in her first game with her new team. “There’s lots of holes in our play.”

Emma Hayes’ USWNT trust-building mission begins with debut win over South Korea

The U.S. women’s national team defeats South Korea 4-0 in its first game under coach Emma Hayes as the team looks to build cohesion before the Paris Olympics.

June 1, 2024

With precious little time to repair them. Hayes has less than four weeks to settle on an 18-player roster for next month’s Paris Olympics, where the U.S. will face what looks to be the deepest field in women’s soccer history, one that includes seven of the world’s top 10 teams, including Canada, the defending Olympic champion, and Spain, the reigning world champion.

After winning its fourth World Cup in 2019 , the U.S. stumbled to a bronze medal in the Tokyo Olympics , then exited last summer’s World Cup in the round of 16, its earliest departure from a major international tournament.

Yet it wasn’t just the results that raised eyebrows. In the last Olympics , the U.S. was tactically inept. At the World Cup, the Americans looked overmatched and underwhelmed, failing to score in their last 238 minutes and failing to reach the semifinals for the first time. As a result, the U.S., No. 1 in the world the last eight years, dropped to fourth in the latest FIFA rankings.

“The realities are the world game is where it is and the rest of the world do not fear the USA in the way that they once did,” the London-born Hayes said. “And that’s valid. There are different world champions, there are different Olympic champions. So it’s our job to grasp quite quickly what we need to do to get close again to those levels.”

Since Hayes is a coach and not a miracle worker, that will necessarily take time.

“It’s a process,” she said. “We’ve got to go one step at a time.”

The start of that journey was delayed by Chelsea, the club team Hayes has coached since 2012. It refused to let her out of the last six months of her contract, which kept Hayes in England through the middle of May. So while she tried, through interim coach Twila Kilgore, to manage the team from afar during that time, only now is she getting the chance to implement her strategy and vision in person.

Doing that, she said, starts with building a foundation of trust, which is why she met individually with each of the 27 players she called into her first training camp as coach.

Next comes the long and complex task of introducing her playing style, one that, at Chelsea, was robust in the attack yet emphasized tactical flexibility.

“A lot of what we’ve done in the past six or seven months with her at Chelsea, you don’t get the on-the-field aspect,” captain Lindsey Horan said. “That’s the one big difference that you feel and you see. You finally get your coach out there on the field and the feeling you get, the leadership you get, that’s exciting.”

How long that honeymoon period will last is unknown, of course. The national team has historically included some of the biggest personalities in women’s soccer and that has made it a minefield for coaches. A locker room revolt led to Tom Sermanni’s ouster in 2014 and three years later another group of veterans reportedly went to U.S. Soccer president Sunil Gulati to try to get Jill Ellis fired.

Emma Hayes aims to replicate her Chelsea success with U.S. women’s soccer

A conversation with her dying father helped persuade Emma Hayes to leave Chelsea and pursue the challenge of revitalizing the U.S. women’s national team.

May 23, 2024

Gulati backed Ellis, who led the U.S. to a second straight world championship in 2019, but that was the last time the Americans climbed to the top of the medal podium at a major tournament. That decline did little to change the power structure around the team, however, so when players complained about difficult training sessions under Ellis’ successor, Vlatko Andonovski made the practices shorter.

The 16 trophies Hayes won at Chelsea plus her annual salary — reportedly $1.6 million, a record for a women’s coach — probably will make her immune to any attempted coups. Plus the team she has been handed is one in transition.

In Paris, the U.S. will play in a major tournament without Megan Rapinoe, Carli Lloyd or Becky Sauerbrunn for the first time in two decades. If Alex Morgan, who has been battling an ankle injury, doesn’t make the team, the U.S. would have no players with more than 150 international caps and no former Olympic gold medalists on its roster for the first time since the 1996 Olympics.

In their place will be a squad led by Horan, a week past her 30th birthday, and twentysomethings Mallory Swanson, Naomi Girma, Catarina Macario and Sophia Smith. In fact, the lineup Hayes started in her debut averaged 25.5 years of age and 45 caps per player, making it the youngest starting 11 in more than two years.

“We’ve got a good combination in the group. There’s more experienced, less experienced players,” Hayes said. “This is, for us, a new beginning.”

But is it the kind of beginning she dreamed about? Or the beginning of something else?

⚽ You have read the latest installment of On Soccer with Kevin Baxter. The weekly column takes you behind the scenes and shines a spotlight on unique stories. Listen to Baxter on this week’s episode of the “ Corner of the Galaxy” podcast .

Kevin Baxter writes about soccer and hockey for the Los Angeles Times. He has covered seven World Cups, four Olympic Games, six World Series and a Super Bowl and has contributed to three Pulitzer Prize-winning series at The Times and Miami Herald. An essay he wrote in fifth grade was voted best in the class. He has a cool dog.

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2024 Rosa Parks Scholars committed to improve their communities

JaDair McGowan discovered his love of filmmaking after watching the movie “The Color Purple," the story of a Black woman who suffers abuse and bigotry living in the South in the early 1900s. Since then, he has produced two short films, appeared on Detroit Public Television, directed a student TV show, and competed in film competitions, all while attending high school.

“I want to tell stories that are reflective of young Black cultures and young students in the LGBTQ+ community. I would like to change the monolithic way that Black characters are portrayed on television,” McGowan said. 

McGowan, a Detroiter and recent graduate of the Detroit School of the Arts, hopes to attend Grand Valley State University to study entrepreneurship and film. 

“In the future, I plan to be my own business owner and entrepreneur. I want to own my own film company who does contracts with artists and laborers,” McGowan said. 

McGowan will be the first person in his family to attend college in part because of a scholarship from the Rosa Parks Scholarship Foundation, an organization devoted to financially supporting postsecondary education. 

This past year, the foundation gave 30 high school seniors scholarships of $2,500, an amount larger than previous years, that can be applied toward tuition, room and board, and other fees associated with college. Students who receive the scholarship also have an opportunity for paid internships at The Detroit News. 

The recipients were selected from a pool of over 200 applicants based on their academics, community service, financial need and demonstrated commitment to the values of Rosa Parks, the Black civil rights icon known for refusing to give up her seat to a White man on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1955. 

“The mission of this foundation is to identify students through their academic achievements and community service opportunities who would endeavor to participate in society in a manner that would reflect Mrs. Park’s values of civility and social justice,” said James Rosenfeld, president of the Rosa Parks Scholarship Foundation.

The 44th annual Rosa Parks Scholarship awards luncheon will honor the scholarship recipients on Wednesday at Wayne County Community College District's northwest Detroit campus. New scholars will read their essays and two speakers will address the scholars: alumna of the year E'Lois Thomas, a 1989 Rosa Parks scholar, and featured speaker Khary Kimani Turner.

The Rosa Parks Scholarship Foundation was created in 1980 as a collaboration between The Detroit News, the Detroit Public Schools and Rosa Parks herself, who lived in Detroit for part of her life. Over the past four decades, the foundation has awarded over $2 million in scholarship funds to more than 1,600 Michigan high school seniors.

Rosa Parks’ great-niece, Erica Thedford, currently serves on the foundation's board.  

“This scholarship has helped underprivileged children gain an education," Thedford said. "By doing that, it continues my aunt’s passion for education. Money is a huge deterrent to pursuing college, and this scholarship offers a little help."

Thedford lived with her famous relative when she was young and said she pursued an education because of the influence Parks had on her. 

“What stuck with me the most was her tenacity. It reverberated from her," Thedford said. "She was always a little quiet, but quiet and forceful at the same time. I am a lifelong student because she always pushed me to be one. She emphasized that education is the one thing that can never be taken from you no matter what."

Thedford said each of this year's scholarship recipients showed a commitment to community service in their essays. 

“It was a really difficult choice to narrow it down," Thedford said. "They all had that tenacity that she had. They all wanted to make a difference in their own communities, both locally and globally."

McGowan said he appreciates receiving a scholarship that emphasizes the same values he has. He applied for the scholarship after learning Parks lived in Detroit.

"I found it impactful that someone was so close to the civil rights movement and so close to home, so I decided to apply and inspire other young black folks to follow her path," McGowan said.

Another scholarship recipient, Nevaeh Nesbitt, graduated from Southfield Christian School and often volunteered to teach art to children in hospitals and schools.

“I see the need for more opportunity for people of color to tap into their creative side," Nesbitt said. "They are taking a lot of programs out of schools right now and art is the first thing to get cut. My goal for graphic design is to start a nonprofit that goes around to different schools and starts summer camps doing projects that are fun for kids."

Nesbitt said she wants to use her career to give back to Detroit. 

“I want to shed a light on the city of Detroit. For so long it has had a bad reputation, but there is so much more to our city that is going on and I want to be a part of the team that makes it great,” Nesbitt said.

The scholars

Here are the graduates:

Zeinab Majid AlRabiah

J.W. Sexton High School

Hometown: Lansing

College: University of Michigan or Michigan State University

Career plans: Finance

Parents: Majid AlRabiah and Amira AlSultan

Achievements: Associate In General Insurance Certification (AINS); class salutatorian; Crisis Text Line volunteer; student government member

Malaya Bagley

Detroit Edison Public School Academy

Hometown: Southfield

College: University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Career plans: Neuroscientist

Parents: Michael and Michelle Bagley

Achievements: Wolverine Pathways completion certificate for six years in the program; DAPCEP award for outstanding academic performance; national recognition from college board; PTO AKA Teens award for outstanding community service; Pink and White Scholarship Ball Award; Principal’s Award; lacrosse; debate team

Chayann Bantom

Cass Technical High School

Hometown: Detroit

College: Spelman College

Career plans: Developmental and clinical psychology

Parents: Kenyatta and Charmarrah Bantom

Achievements: Graduating Summa cum laude with a 4.1 GPA; student from Cranbrook Horizons Upward Bound; member of Cass Tech’s National Honors Society

Katelyn Bielas

Rogers City High School

Hometown: Presque Isle

College: Ferris State University

Career plans: Biomedical scientist

Parents: John and Jane Bielas

Achievements: Salutatorian; National Honor Society, student council, class vice president, Youth Advisory Council

Flushing High School

Hometown: Flushing

College: Point Loma Nazarene University

Career plans: Teacher

Parents: Kari and Mark Burba

Achievements: Vice president of National Honor Society; AP Scholar with Honor; class officer; Rotary Interact Club co-president

Audrey Cooper

Portland High School

Hometown: Portland

College: Howard University

Career plans: Lawyer

Parents: Vincent Cooper and Stephanie Manshum

Achievements: National Honor Society; Youth AAU basketball coach; Horatio Alger Association Scholar

Liberty Cullen

LaSalle High School

Hometown: St. Ignace

College: West Virginia University

Career plans: International business

Parents: Richard and Mary Cullen

Achievements: Cass president; Youth Advisory Committee president; National Honor Society; U.P Wrestling All-Academic Team; 5 Varsity Sport Letterman

Olivia Fedak

Pinconning High School

Hometown: Pinconning

College: Michigan Technological Engineering

Career plans: Chemical engineer

Parents: Lisa and Niles Fedak

Achievements: Dow Chemical Company High School Co-Op; 2024 Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citizen; Executive Student Council vice president; National Honor Society; AP Scholar with distinction

Sarai Gonzalez

Hope of Detroit Academy

College: University of Dallas

Career plans: Doctor, emergency medicine

Parent: Yolanda Cruz

Achievements: Valedictorian; Honor Society, Award of Excellence in the Visual Arts

Marwa Hassan

East Kentwood High School

Hometown: Kentwood

College: Grand Rapids Community College

Career plans: Medicine

Parents: Abdullahi Hassan and Sadia Nurow

Achievements: Summa cum laude; honor roll; internship; National Honor Society; Muslim Student Association

Kiona Henry

Grand Blanc High School

Hometown: Flint

College: Wayne State University

Career plans: Nurse to anesthesiologist

Parents: Kimta and Michael Henry

Achievements: Genesee Career Institute Certified Nursing Assistant License; Genesee Career Institute Patient Care Technician License; Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated Akettes Youth Group member; Black Scholar of the National Sorority Phi Delta Kappa Inc. - Gamma Delta Chapter; Grand Blanc High School Student Government executive president; Grand Blanc High School Girls Varsity Soccer Program; Health Occupations Students of America Organization (HOSA)

Kelli Higgins

Jackson High School

Hometown: Jackson

College: Harvard University

Career plans: Constitutional lawyer

Parents: Tracy and Grady Higgins

Achievements: Jackson High School valedictorian; Jackson High Reflector Newspaper editor-in-chief; Yale Young Global Scholar; Michigan Senate intern; National Honor Society, social services leader

Jada Ingram

College: Lawrence Technological University

Career plans: Architectural designer

Parent: Freida Ingram

Achievements: Owner of JustKicksbyJay; Girls in Engineering Academy teacher’s assistant; National Honor Society; Midnight Golf Program alum; graduated summa cum laude

Malaak Jadallah

Fordson High School

Hometown: Dearborn

College: University of Michigan-Dearborn

Career plans: Engineer

Parents: Malakeh and Nader Jadallah

Achievements: Lieutenant Governor of Division 12 in Key Club; Concert master of the Fordson Symphony Orchestra; captain of the Track and Cross Country team; Outstanding President Award-Key Club; National Honor Society

Scarlett Elizabeth Kihn

College: Grand Valley State University

Career plans: Occupational Therapist

Parents: Aimee Martin and Kevin Kihn

Achievements: Class vice president; Student Council vice president; Key Club president; National Honor Society; Grand Valley Laker Dance Team member

Ryann Leyko

Tri County High School

Hometown: Howard City

College: Central Michigan University

Career plans: Clinical psychiatrist

Parents: Kimberly and James Leyko

Achievements: Class valedictorian; Drum Major of TCMB; State Finalist Cheer Captain; National Honors Society

JaDair McGowan

Detroit School of Arts High School

Career plans: Entrepreneur and/or film director

Parents: Zemira Franklin and Derrick McGowan

Achievements: Vice president of the 2024 senior class; Officers PBIS Ambassadors president; published photographer in 2020’s Perspectives Magazine

Mikayla Mertes

Grayling High School

Hometown: Grayling

College: Kirtland Community College

Career plans: Certified Public Accountant

Parents: Jay Mertes and Amanda Fegan

Achievements: Lake Michigan Conference All-Academic Team member; Certified Patient Care Technician/Assistant; National Honor Society member; former Student Voice Leadership Committee representative

Farah Mohamed

High school: Universal Academy

Career plans: Pediatric nurse or OB/GYN nurse

Parent: Tawfik Mohamed

Achievements : National Honor Society, class salutatorian, part of student government

Nevaeh Nesbitt

Southfield Christian School

College: Michigan State University

Career plans: Graphic designer

Parents: Tyronza and Nicole Nesbitt

Achievements: Certificate of Honor-Service Award; Distinguished Christian High School Student Award; High School Leadership Team member; Yearbook editor; Horatio Alger Scholarship Award recipient

Hometown: Dearborn Heights

College: University of Detroit Mercy

Career plans: Dentist

Parents: Amal Baiz and Ali Obeid

Achievements: Currently ranked second out of 475 in class; president of the UNICEF Club for two consecutive years and Joyful Heart Foundation Club for three consecutive years; over 300 hours of community service; AP Scholar with Distinction Award; National Honors Society

Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy

Hometown: Saginaw

Career plans: Neurosurgeon

Parents: Nilesh and Suraxa Patel

Achievements: National Honor Society; Science Quiz Bowl co-captain; International Astronomy and Astrophysics Bronze honor; Michigan Governor Youth Service Award; Saginaw County Medical Society essay writing contest first place winner ‘23 and ’24; U.S Metric award; AP Scholar

Rawad Rahal

Crestwood High School

Career plans: Aerospace engineer

Parents: Lynda Haidar and Bassel Rahal

Achievements: NASA GLOBE researcher; Amity Club District Board representative and club vice president; Varsity Football captain; ASAP Youth Coalition Leader; Cofounder of Smile Forever Organization

McKenna Ryan-Elbert

Shrine Catholic High School

Hometown: Royal Oak

College: Kalamazoo College

Parents: Alison Ryan and Christian Elbert

Achievements: Graduating Top 10; Optimist Award; Principal’s List (4.0-plus); Mackinac Island Honor Scout; DECA State competitor

John Glenn High School

Hometown: Bay City

College: Saginaw Valley State University

Career plans: Physical therapist

Parents: Nancy and Gary Smith

Achievements: President’s List; Delta College recipient; Varsity Cross Country athlete; National Honor Society

Brandt Stewart II

High school: University High School Academy

College: Morehouse College

Career plans: Supply chain manager

Parent: Brittani Evans

Achievements: Magna Cum Laude; National Honor Society member; Midnight Golf Program alumnus; Wolverine Pathways alumnus; summer internship at Toyota 

Andre Thurmond-Tindle

College: Alabama A&M University

Career plans: Veterinarian

Parent: Joy Thurmond

Achievements: Maintained a 3.0-plus GPA throughout high school; Midnight Golf Program alumn (Mentorship and Life Skills Program); National Honor Society; honor roll every year of high school; Midnight Golf Scholarships

Maegan Williams

University High School Academy

College: Brown University

Career plans: Public Health Administrator, OBGYN

Parent: Pamela Williams

Achievements: National Honor Society; vice president of National Society of Black Engineers JR; class valedictorian; 2024 Ms. AKATEEN

Meghan Williams

College: North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University

Career plans: Computer engineer

Parent: Soni Williams

Achievements: National Honor Society (two years); Cass Tech Harp and Vocal (Soprano 1); Teen Hype (public relations manager)

Symphony Zeigler

College: Jackson

Career plans: Radiology

Parent: Melaniese Nicholson

Achievements: President of Top Teens, Miss; Top Teen of America Detroit; NCNW Youth Section Secretary; NAACP member; Speakers Choice Award

Honorable mention

The Rosa Parks Scholarship Foundation also is giving out honorable mention awards to other Michigan students who were awarded other major major scholarships, making them ineligible for the Rosa Parks award.

Kaleb Hill , Detroit Edison Public School Academy

Stephanie Rios , Cass Technical High School

CarRyn Gilbert , Cass Technical High School

Ireland Bradley , Detroit School of Arts

Eden Gray , Alpena High School

Kelvin Slaughter , University Prep Art & Design

BJ Underwood, Pershing High School

Rosa Parks Scholarship Foundation — board members

Jim Rosenfeld , foundation president; shareholder, Butzel

Walter Middlebrook , foundation vice president; foster professor of practice, Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications, The Pennsylvania State University; former assistant managing editor, The Detroit News

Marcia Hart , foundation secretary; retired, Detroit Media Partnership

Terri Barnett Coleman , foundation treasurer; retired, North America Product Development, General Motors Corp.

Dorothy Cocroft , foundation assistant secretary; retired, labor relations, General Motors Corp.

Benita Miller , foundation assistant treasurer; vice president of U.S. programs at the Center for Reproductive Rights; Rosa Parks Foundation scholar, 1988

Jon Goldstein , director of development, Wayne State University Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

Delora Hall Tyler , foundation past president; president, First Media Group Inc.

Luther Keith , executive director, ARISE Detroit!; former senior editor, The Detroit News

Denise Williams Mallett , Ed.D, partner at Marygrove Consulting Firm and adjunct professor at Wayne State University's College of Education

Danielle McGuire , Ph.D.: civil rights historian and award-winning author

Isaiah McKinnon , Ph.D., retired chief of police and associate professor at University Detroit Mercy and deputy mayor of Detroit

Gary Miles , editor and publisher, The Detroit News

Alicia Nails , director, Journalism Institute for Media Diversity, Wayne State University

Sherida D. DuBose Parsons , medical director—Molina Healthcare of Michigan

Robin Schwartz , founder and CEO of Robin Schwartz PR; former Fox 2 News anchor/reporter

Barbara K. Smith , Ph.D.; cofounder, executive director of education, Michigan Underground Railroad Exploratory Collective; former counseling director, Detroit Public Schools Community District

Erica Thedford , great niece of Mrs. Parks; scopist

Robert E. Thomas , J.D., Regulatory & Privacy, Ford Motor Co.

Kim Trent , foundation past president; deputy director-prosperity for the State of Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity; Rosa Parks Scholarship Foundation scholar

How to apply for the scholarship

Michigan high school students are encouraged to apply for a one-time $2,500 scholarship named in honor of civil rights icon Rosa Parks. Applications are typically due on March 1 each school year. For more information, see rosaparksscholarship.org .

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Russia Releases Female Prison Inmates to Join Ukraine War

Tens of thousands of male convicts have been freed to fight in Ukraine. It is not clear if a small contingent of female volunteers released from a prison portends wider use of female soldiers.

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By Ekaterina Bodyagina and Anatoly Kurmanaev

Russia released a group of women from a prison in late May to join the fighting in Ukraine, according to two former inmates who maintain contact with those still there, potentially signaling a new phase in the Kremlin’s use of criminals in its war effort.

Military recruiters collected several women from a prison outside St. Petersburg, said the former inmates, whose names are being withheld to protect them from possible retaliation. It is unclear if their release represents an isolated case, a pilot program or the start of a larger wave of recruitment of female inmates.

About 30,000 women were serving time in Russia at the start of the invasion.

Military recruiters began touring prisons for women across the European part of Russia last fall, more than a year after the country’s forces started offering convicted men pardons and salaries in return for combat service. Until now, however, convicted women who had enlisted remained incarcerated without an official explanation, according to interviews with former and current inmates of four Russian prisons for women.

Tens of thousands of imprisoned Russian men have taken up the military’s call, replenishing the country’s invasion force at a crucial moment in the war and helping it regain its military advantage over Ukraine. Thousands of them have been killed in Ukraine. Some who survived their military services and were discharged have since committed serious crimes , including homicide.

The recruitment of female convicts comes as the Russian government has resorted to increasingly unorthodox schemes to attract volunteers from the margins of Russian society, trying to avoid another round of unpopular conscription. Apart from prison inmates, these recruitment schemes have targeted debtors, people accused of crimes and foreigners.

Russia’s defense ministry and prison service have in the past left unanswered all requests for comment on the country’s prison recruitment program.

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