Sports all around the world have players that they designate as captains, people who show that they have what it takes to lead a team. Leadership is complex and takes on many different aspects, which makes it hard to pin down exactly what makes a great leader. 

     What works for some people might not work for others. To understand leadership, it’s easier to first understand how leaders are chosen. Sports captains across West Albany High School (WAHS) are a way to analyze qualities valued in leaders. More importantly, how exactly the captains at WAHS are selected for their role. 

     “For our team, it was a vote,” said sophomore Lola Gilder. “Everyone on the team got two votes they could use. It’s usually a top two, but two of the people were tied, so we had three [captains],” Gilder said. 

     For girls’ soccer, the captains are selected based on who the players themselves think would be the best choices. Gilder says that this is partially because it’s easier for players to notice someone who excels in leadership than coaches. 

     This is different from boys’ basketball, where both the players and coaches vote on team captains. Senior basketball player Robert Southard believes this is to represent the team more as a whole, rather than just the players: “The coaches and the players all come together,” Southard said. 

     Coaches may know more about how to manage a team, so their input on who the captains are is represented in a vote alongside players. Once chosen, team captains do a variety of tasks. 

     “At the beginning of games, we would go meet the other captains and meet the refs to flip a coin and see which side of the field we started with,” Gilder said. She also leads stretches in practice. They do the same thing in basketball, and also give feedback to their teammates after practice. 

    Leadership is less about leading stretches than it is about setting an example for those that you guide. “Leading by example, having a good attitude, showing people how to do things, and being someone vocal,” Southard said. 

     Outside of their capabilities, captains are chosen due to these qualities and their ability to inspire that in others. Someone who can constructively do that, and overall represent the team by showing their teammates what they should do to be successful in their practices and their games.