Captains are vital in team sports, and they often have a large impact on a team’s success as well as individual player development. 

The role that a captain plays is beneficial in many ways such as providing guidance, communicating between players and coaches and being a role model for other players to look up to. 

Junior Jacob Thomas, Co-Captain of Beachwood’s varsity boys basketball team along with Nick Reese and Jonathan Mo, is proud of his ability to lead and help others. 

“I think my responsibilities are to make sure everyone’s doing what they should be doing at practice and just being a leader in general,” he said. “If someone makes a mistake, I pick them up, or if someone needs help on something, I make sure to be there for them.” 

Beachwood’s team captains and coaches feel that a leader should lead both on and off the court, although the ways in which an athlete shows leadership may vary.

Thomas emphasizes the importance of speaking up for himself and his teammates.

“Important qualities are definitely standing up for your teammates and having a voice,” he said. “If you have a voice, it allows you to create relationships with your teammates and build chemistry.” 

It’s very important for captains to be aware of the impact they can have on a team. While people often get upset if they aren’t chosen as a captain, it goes without saying that a captain’s role on the team is imperative for having a successful group, and it takes the right person to make this happen. 

“Without a leader, the team won’t really function well,” Thomas said. “There always has to be someone to be there to take control of everything and be there for everyone.” 

Team leaders emphasize that a leader should always do the right thing, even if no one is watching.

“Practice, games, off the court, a leader should always be a leader,” Thomas said. 

Head boys basketball coach David Krasnow explained that this consistency is what he looks for in choosing a team captain.

“I think it’s important to be a leader at all times,” he said. “On the floor, off the floor, in the classroom, how you carry yourself in the community… A little bit of everything is what I’m looking for.” 

Krasnow emphasizes that an athlete’s character is more important even than skills on the court.

“I’m looking for the character of the person,” he said. “Are they a person with good character and ethics and integrity?” 

“Truthfully it’s not even as much about playing ability,” he added. “I want someone who’s going to do things the right way whether I’m looking or not.” 

Krasnow also feels that good leaders see beyond their own needs. 

“Putting others above themselves is a great characteristic of a leader and definitely what we’re looking for in a captain,” he said. “It has to be team first. If it’s not team first, it’s pretty tough.” 

The relationships built between captains and coaches are essential in developing chemistry, which is necessary for a successful season. 

“I’d always hoped to be a captain because I love leading people and being there for them,” Thomas said. 

Development of younger players is something that the Bison boys basketball team deals with on a daily basis, as much of the team is made up of underclassmen. 

The coach and captains feel they have responsibilities to teach and help the younger players. 

“If they make a mistake, be mature about it and go onto the next play,” Thomas said. “They’re young, so they have to understand that they’re going to make mistakes just like everyone else.”

“[It’s important to teach] them how they can fix things and how to be better in the game and off the court.”

Thomas and Krasnow are excited for what the future holds for this talented group of players. 

“I see some great characteristics in some of the younger kids,” Krasnow said. “There’s so much physical maturity growth between freshmen and senior year that it’s basically like you’re a different person and you’re just going to be so much better.” 

As seen in the case of the boys basketball team, having strong leadership on a team clearly has a great impact on the team’s success, both individually and collectively. 

There are many different types of captains and everyone’s style of leadership looks different, but the overall characteristics of a leader are similar no matter what sport, gender or age a captain is. 

These characteristics include having a positive attitude, being helpful and supportive, having patience, leading by example and having the desire to learn and get better every day. A strong team leader models these traits so that teammates can follow.