How to Be an Effective Team Captain for a Youth Soccer Team

The role of team captain has the potential to be both the most challenging and the most rewarding role of all for a player. If you're about to appoint a captain for your youth soccer team, consider the following qualities.

Steps

1. 1
   Remember that there is no one set of characteristics possessed by effective captains. In reality, very different personalities can be successful captains. However, there are key traits that any person wanting to be a good captain can learn and practice, and the following steps explain these.
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2. 2
   Be mentally strong. The mental part of the job is the hardest part. All captains should be mentally strong. Inevitably, the captain will be criticized at some point, both from within and from outside the team.
3. 3
   Be focused. Equally, the captain needs to remain focused and aware while under intense pressure during a game, so that he or she can make the correct decisions at the right time. To cope with this requires considerable mental strength. Some captains say the mental part of being a captain is the hardest part, because there is so much more to think about, as well as playing.
4. 4
   Be an excellent communicator. This is a skill required by all captains. The captain will need to encourage teammates. Never yell.

   • The captain should only speak when necessary, being able to keep his/her communication short and to the point.
5. 5
   Be emotionally disciplined. This quality is important for three main reasons:

   • As a role model the example set by the captain must meet every expectation he has of the players. For example, if the captain becomes angry with the referee and constantly questions his decisions, he cannot expect his players to accept refereeing decisions themselves.
   • If the captain loses self-control and vents his anger or frustration (whether against an opponent, team-mate or the referee), he will have lost the ability to make rational decisions. His own performance will also suffer; a loss of emotional control will affect timing, co-ordination and the ability to “read” the game as awareness becomes more narrowly focused.
   • A loss of emotional control will be seen as a sign of weakness by the opposition, boosting their confidence whilst undermining that of the team. This does not mean that your captain becomes an emotionless robot, without passion.
6. 6
   Know the players. A captain must remember that while soccer is very much a team game the role involves dealing with individuals who are all different in attitudes, tempers and experience.

   • The captain that also takes time to get to know his or her team-mates as people and not just players will ultimately achieve far more respect and effort from them.
7. 7
   Be self-confident. A self-confident captain inspires confidence in others. It also helps him/her maintain his or her own performance. This is easy when things are going well, it is harder, but more important, to do so when the going gets tough. The captain needs to make sure he at least gives the impression of confidence. Looking and acting confident will, sooner or later, lead to being confident (fake it till you make it).