Captains, Assistants, or Shared Leadership? Rethinking Youth Team Leadership

The captain’s “C” is one of the most iconic symbols in sport. At the pro level, it can define a team’s identity and inspire performance. But in youth sport, the picture is far more complex. Should you name captains at all? Or are there better ways to develop leaders and shape team culture?

Research shows that captains can improve cohesion, communication, and performance when they are supported with mentoring and clear expectations (Cotterill, Loughead, & Fransen, 2022). However, it also shows that leadership is rarely the responsibility of just one person — informal leaders often carry just as much influence (Fransen et al., 2015).

A Coach’s Perspective: When the “C” Becomes Too Heavy

Coaching youth is a very different game than coaching pros. At the professional level, there are countless examples of captains shaping their teams — from young stars setting new standards to veterans steadying the ship through adversity.

For youth athletes, though, the picture is much less clear. In my experience, I’ve seen the captain’s “C” weigh heavily on young athletes. Sometimes it makes them hyper-critical of their own play, feeling like they have to be perfect every shift. Other times, it has the opposite effect — inflating their sense of status and creating separation between them and their peers.

In both cases, the team dynamic can shift dramatically, for better or worse. Season to season, an athlete’s maturity and personality can change how they carry the responsibility. Add or subtract a few teammates, and the locker room culture looks completely different.

That’s why I’ve shifted away from the default practice of naming captains on my youth teams. Instead, I focus on building culture and community, highlighting the unique gifts each player brings. Leadership development still happens — but as a shared effort involving everyone.

The Four Pillars of Being a Captain

Research identifies four key dimensions of athlete leadership that drive team success (Fransen et al., 2015):

• Task Leadership – Organizing team warm-ups, reinforcing tactical points, keeping players focused

• Motivational Leadership – Encouraging teammates and inspiring effort

• Social Leadership – Making sure everyone feels included, building team trust

• External Leadership – Serving as the voice of the team with coaches, referees, and parents

You don’t need one player to master all four. Some coaches assign co-captains or rotate roles to ensure all pillars are covered.

Age-Group Characteristics: What to Look For

Different age groups call for different expectations. Use this as a reference:

Age Group	Developmental Focus	What to Look For in a Captain
U9 (Introductory)	Learning skills, attention, teamwork	Listens to coaches, helps teammates, stays engaged
U13 (Formative)	Building peer relationships, learning independence	Encourages others, handles frustration, shows effort
U18 (Competitive)	Capable of reflection, peer accountability	Communicates well, sets a positive example, holds peers accountable respectfully

Rethinking Youth Team Leadership

Practical Options for Coaches

Option 1: Formal Captains

Best for teams that need structure and a cultural compass. Choose captains based on effort, respect, and consistency — not just skill. Support them with mentoring to prevent role confusion or burnout (Cotterill & Cheetham, 2017).

Option 2: Shared or Rotating Leadership

Ideal for younger groups or teams with multiple natural leaders. Rotate captains weekly, or assign specific roles (e.g., “culture captain” or “fitness captain”). Research shows teams with shared leadership often function more effectively over time (Mertens et al., 2021).

Option 3: Culture-First, No Captains

Sometimes, no formal captains at all is best. Focus on team-wide culture, recognize leadership moments as they happen, and empower everyone to contribute.

Coach-Player Conversation Script

Use this conversation to help players define what leadership should look like for their team:

Coach:

“What do you think makes a great captain or leader? A captain isn’t just the best player — it’s someone who helps the team be its best.”

(Write responses on a board: encourages teammates, works hard, stays positive.)

“There are four areas of leadership: keeping us organized, keeping us motivated, including everyone, and speaking for the team. Which ones are most important for our group right now?”

“If we were picking captains, what traits should we look for? Think about attitude, respect, and how they treat teammates — not just who scores the most goals.”

This process builds buy-in from athletes and parents and makes leadership a shared teaching moment.

Takeaways

• Leadership is a skill to be developed, not just a title to be handed out.

• Match your approach (captains, rotation, or no captains) to your team’s age, maturity, and culture.

• Support captains with mentoring and clear expectations.

• Celebrate leadership moments from every player — not just those wearing the “C.”

References

• Cotterill, S. T., Loughead, T. M., & Fransen, K. (2022). Athlete leadership development within teams: Current understanding and future directions. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 814493.

• Cotterill, S. T., & Cheetham, R. (2017). The experience of captaincy in professional sport: The case of elite rugby. European Journal of Sport Science, 17(2), 215–221.

• Fransen, K., et al. (2015). Who takes the lead? Social network analysis as a pioneering tool to investigate shared leadership within sport teams. Social Networks, 43, 28–38.

• Mertens, N., Boen, F., Steffens, N. K., Haslam, S. A., & Fransen, K. (2021). Will the real leaders please stand up? The emergence of shared leadership in semi-professional soccer teams. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 24(3), 307–312.

• Gould, D., & Voelker, D. K. (2010). Enhancing youth leadership through sport and physical education. In J. E. Parry et al. (Eds.), Sport and physical education: The key concepts (pp. 93–103).