Jeff McBride, MSE, CSCS

“Everybody knows who the leaders are.” Curt Cignetti said he has never voted for captains. The longer I coached, the more I understood exactly what he meant. Some years we had captains. Some years we didn’t. We selected them differently depending on the team. But I also saw choosing captains create more problems than it solved. So when coaches would ask me, “What if we pick the wrong captains?” My answer became pretty simple: Then don’t pick them. Develop ALL of your leaders. Build collective leadership. Give kids opportunities to lead without needing a title. Because Cignetti is right. Your players know who the leaders are. Your coaches know. Your locker room knows. Leadership rises to the top. You don’t need a “C” on your chest to lead. And giving someone the title of captain doesn’t suddenly make them a leader. Sometimes it just gives the wrong person more influence. That can be dangerous. Develop everyone as leaders. Then let leadership emerge. 🔥