Core Training

Benefits of Having Captains in High School Softball

Being a captain of a high school softball team is a privilege and an honor. Captains for any sport are usually voted on by a player’s fellow teammates and coach. Captains serve an important role among the team. They will be the ones who set up practices for the program in the pre-season months, they are typically in charge of the apparel for the season, they communicate messages from the coach to players in group texts, they lead by example on and off the field, hold teammates accountable, and make sure the vibe among the team is positive throughout the season. Captains serve as an extra set of eyes among the team and help coaches in many different ways.

Team Practices in Pre-Season: You’ve probably heard mention of Captains Practices by high school softball players right before tryouts begin. These practices are typically run by the captains because due to high school rules, there can’t be much coach involvement until an official start of the season date. Teams without appointed captains can try to run their own practices but without identified leadership roles among the team, it could get unorganized and unproductive. The most productive captain’s practices in the pre-season are those run by captains who make a detailed practice plan and follow it. Attending captain’s practices as players are important to teams because it holds players accountable and the teams with the most success are the ones who put in the extra work in the off-season moths.

Lessen the Load for Coaches: There are many responsibilities for high school coaches to take on and master during the short spring season. By appointing team captains, this helps coaches pass on some of the workload. This work passed on to captains may include organizing team pasta feeds, planning team bonding activities, picking out and designing the apparel to be worn during a season, deciding which uniforms to wear on game days, communicating to fellow teammates through group text, just to name a few.

Looks Good on a Resume: This benefit more so benefits the individuals who earn captainship during their high school softball careers. Being appointed captain of a high school sports team is an honor and a privilege. It proves that these individuals are respected by their peers and that they have leadership skills. These things are noticed by employers later in life, especially when they browse through resumes and see the words Captain of a team listed. Having this title will set individuals apart from others competing for the same job. Captains of sports teams prove they can lead a group, get along well with and work together with others towards a common goal. Captainship helps prepare these athletes for the roles they will take on later in life.

Not all high school softball programs have captains. It is usually up to the coach whether or not his/her program will carry captains on the varsity squad. Even though there are many benefits to a team having captains, there can also be conflict. For example, captains are usually seniors and if there are only two captain spots open with more than two seniors on a team, this could cause some backlash from the seniors who didn’t get selected to serve as a captain. Softball captains at the high school level are more common than not and they have been found to benefit the team they serve as well as the program as a whole.

To Top