MNSU Swimming & Diving
Rotating Captains
Responsibility of Captain
• Lead by Example
• Encourage your
Teammates
• Support your
Teammates
Non-Captain Roles
• Support your Captains
• Support your Team
• Hold Yourself
Accountable
Organized Functions
• Motivational Video
• Pre Swim Meet Inspirational
Cards: “Watch out for Blum;
she will put you in a tomb”
• Organized a Meet Line Up
• Swim Meet Cheers
• Created Locker Room Signs
• Promoted the Swim Team
Around Campus
• Hosted a Team Dinner
• Sporting Event Get Together
• Fugitive
• Accountability Partners
• Hawaii T-Shirts
• Volunteering at a local
School
• Trick-or-Treat with the
Mavericks
Trick-or-Treat with the
Mavericks
Coaches Enhancing the
Experience
• Handing out articles and discussing effective leaders
with the first captains.
• Strength Finders – Understanding one another.
• Visiting the Ropes Course a couple times and
facilitating a team bonding initiative once a week:
• ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE!!
Ropes Course
Benefits
•
“No 1-2 people have all the power.”
•
“Motivation to work to be as good a captain as you can.”
•
“I think it helps everyone feel that they can voice their opinions
and ideas.”
•
“So many great ideas and different perspectives; everyone gets a
chance to be a good influence and make their voice heard (even
newbies) and makes everyone feel included.”
•
“Everyone can experience the goods and bads of being a captain.”
•
“No power trips and people are leaders even after their 2 weeks are
up.”
•
“The captains are more excited about being a leader.”
Do the Swimmers Like It?
18 Love It!
• “It is great for each swimmer to understand the hardships and
stresses that come with being a leader, at least with the title as
Captain.”
• “I like it, and think it’s beneficial especially for an all girls
team.”
• “I think it is a great option and should be done more often.”
• “Love it!”
• “I think it helps to build team Chemistry.”
• “Great idea, benefits everyone involved.”
2 Opinions Changed
• “ At first I was skeptical about the idea but I have
started to actually like it. I feel like there isn’t always
pressure on me and I think if you are a Captain you
always feel pressure because you are held to a higher
standard.”
• “At first I didn’t like the idea at all. I feel that being a
Captain is something one can earn as they move
through a program. I haven’t had any negative
experiences, so now I’m neutral…”
4 Don’t Like It
• “… Keep it between Seniors, maybe upperclassmen
rotate through. Freshman don’t understand/know why a
lot of things are the way they are leading to not much
leadership past hardworking.”
• “Make them permanent ones because I forget who the
Captain is.”
• “Not a fan, Seniors already establish leading roles and are
still the go-to people.”
• “Just rotate upperclassmen – underclassman don’t want
to step up or take charge over upperclassmen.
Assessment
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
N/A
I have contributed to my team as a leader
-
1
6
8
8
-
My teammates respected me as a captain
-
-
4
6
7
6
My fellow captains respected me when I
was a captain
-
-
2
5
10
6
I felt confident in facilitating team
activities
-
-
2
2
13
6
I have a better understanding of what it
takes to be a captain
-
3
2
8
10
-
I have a better understanding of what it
means to be a Lady Mav
-
1
3
7
12
-
My closing speech to teammates was
sincere
-
-
1
3
11
8
Assessment
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
N/A
Only Seniors can lead a team effectively
13
5
-
4
1
-
My team gets along really well
-
-
3
7
13
-
I respect my teammates
-
-
-
8
15
-
The team captains listen to the team
-
-
6
8
9
-
I have learned from the team captains
-
3
2
10
8
-
I feel like an important member of The
Lady Mavs
-
2
4
5
12
-
I have a better understanding of what it
means to be a team player
-
2
4
8
9
-
Community Pride
How to Improve
• Make the Captains more Prominent
• Longer than 2 weeks
• More activities for coaches to teach leadership
• Emphasis to Upperclassman that Freshman are
Captains to learn through experience
• - The four that don’t like it said: “Freshman are too
timid and inexperienced to be in charge”
MN State Standard
5.
Exhibits
responsible
personal and
social behavior
in physical
activity
settings.
1. Students will initiate
independent and responsible
behavior in physical activity
settings.
•
•
•
•
•
Work cooperatively with teammates.
Accepts and takes responsibility for
mistakes.
Refrains form participation that may
results in injury to self or other
Encourages and is courteous to others.
Responsible for own behavior.
2. Students will accept the
responsibility for taking a
leadership role and willingly
follow as appropriate in order to
accomplish goals.
3. Students will anticipate
potentially dangerous
consequences and outcomes of
participation in physical activity
4. Students will develop strategies
to avoid potential inappropriate
behaviors during physical
activities.
•
While officiating a competition listen to all
sides of the issue before taking action in a
conflict.