The Not Captain Captain

Walden:

I think I figured it out

It’s because there is a lack of non captain leadership

Kevin:

Really?

Yea!

For sure

The guys, who should be non captain captains, are being mean and cynical instead

Walden:

Yeah

So in 2010 Kurt was a huge influence

And a very positive and enthusiastic person

And from 04-08, it was a guy named Jake Segil

But in 09 and the past two years Illinois hasn’t really had that person

Kevin:

2011 we had Papi

Who was a positive force

Walden:

Ok, so in 09 and 2012 Illinois didn’t have that guy

Kevin:

Right

So

I think

I should have told Colin to run for captain, and then been that guy

Which is the core reason I regret being captain

Walden:

You think you would have done a better job of being that guy than being a captain?

Kevin:

 Yes

And I think that the value of actually having that guy

Is very important

Walden:

 That’s true

Like Johnny is going to be that guy for the next 3 years

Kevin:

Johnny and hopefully Marty will double team it next year

Walden:

Was there anyone else who could have done it last year?

What about Krieger?

Kevin:

Krieger didn’t have any respect

I guess I didn’t either

So that is a mute point

Walden:

 I mean but I don’t think Krieger wasn’t really trying to be like a positive force

Kevin:

Right

Someone could have explained the situation to him, and it he could have worked on it

Walden:

 That true

But I mean you would have just done it naturally

Kevin:

Yes

But

I knew about the role

When you and I hung out in 2011

We talked a lot about 2008

And I understood the value of Jake's role

Walden:

I had to have brought up Kurt then too?

Kevin:

So, if someone had talked to Krieger in a similar fashion then he would have had it on his radar

Yes

We talked about Kurt a ton

Walden:

Gotcha, I am just saying I think you would have been better suited for the role than Krieger, like you wouldn’t have had to work at it that much, but Krieger would

Kevin:

I agree

Walden:

Actually in 09 we had zubair and mclain

So last year without the positive, enthusiasm, clubhouse guy, people like Adam and brad filled that void with their hate

Kevin:

Yes

Walden:

You think its coincidence that the same year Illinois doesn’t have the guy is the same year we didn’t make it to nationals?

Kevin:

No

I think it is a critical variable

Walden:

Yeah

Does NUT have that guy?

Kevin:

It needs to be someone who is tough

No

They have never had that guy

Walden:

He definitely has to be tough, has to be pretty good, and probably not the best but in the top 10, hard worker and he has to be unwavering as well

Kevin:

Unwavering

Likeable?

Walden:

Unwavering?

Likeable for sure

Kevin:

I agree in unwavering

Walden:

Gotcha

But so the problem with Krieger was that if he would have done it, it would detract from his focus of being as good as he can be, and a lot of people weren’t really fans of Krieger

Kevin:

Yes

Walden:

Ian wasn’t that guy before he became captain?

Kevin:

Hmmm

That could be

            Your relationship with the team changes dramatically when you become a captain.  When you aren’t in a position of power your teammates are eager to talk to you about anything.  You can complain about roster decisions, playtime allocation, certain guys faking injuries and how poorly organized practices are.  Your teammates become your best friends because nothing is off limits to conversation, but as soon as you earn a position of leadership this relationship completely falls apart.  Guys will stop seeking you out to vent about the team and people will suddenly start acting weird anytime a “touchy” situation comes up.  This puts a stress on the relationship between leadership and the team.  The relationship turns into a struggle of “the power v. the plebs.”

            Out of this relationship, leaders among the plebs naturally rise up.  The quality of these leaders is absolutely critical to the quality of the team.  Ideally someone who is likeable, unwavering and positive to step in and keep the team focused on what matters.  He needs to be able to lead by example and by being relentlessly positive in everything he says.  Tone is the most important part of this person’s voice.  If he speaks with a tone of frustration, whining or any kind of negativity then that hurts the team.  If he speaks with a tone of positivity, to encourage or to focus the team then that is extremely positive.

            I remember in 2010 Kurt often said, “You’ve got to work really hard.”  This sentence can easily be said with a negative or destructive tone, but Kurt always managed to show his fire and to get the team really focused by saying this.  I think it was because he was talking to himself as much as he was talking to the team.  (Never say “you guys need to work harder” always phrase is “we need to go harder”).  Kurt was also the one putting in some of the hardest work on the field, he was a relentless dline handler and even during his off games he still threw his body around to make plays and support the team.

            Day to day this person has to be one of the hardest workers at practice, and he needs to lead by example through scrimmages and drills.  If the team isn’t taking a drill seriously, e.g. inside out box, then he can easily step up and start going hard in that drill and start pushing guys to go hard as well.  He can run hard into the box and make his cut sharp, he can lay out for the disc, he can lead his teammates too much on the throws so that they have to lay it, he can call out the guy across from him and get them to make the cut in the middle sharp as well.  He can do so many things without just bitching about how people don’t take the drill seriously; he can take out all his frustration about things not working by working to make them work.

            If there is not a guy who is energetic and positive to fill this position, then the mantle gets taken up by haters and negative players.  They are easily able to fill the team with their hate, and their half hearted efforts through drills.  This mentality percolates through the team very quickly and all the sudden you have a team who thinks everything they do is stupid and pointless.  It’s much easier for a team to get weighed down than it is for them to be picked up and emotionally carried.