Our Jenks Captains: Lessons In Leadership

Photo Credit: Jenksfootballbosterclub Instagram.

By Isabella Bagnaro

Jenks’ athletic programs have a rather successful history, and one of the contributors to that is our leaders. Keep reading for a breakdown of Four Styles of Leadership From Our Captains.

Nice Title, But What Does It Mean?:

To answer this question I consulted Jenks Varsity football captain Jett Calmus, cheer captain Presley Cahalen, swim captain Karissa Lu, and girls basketball captain Jill Twiehaus.

“As a captain, there are quite a few responsibilities like leading and encouraging your teammates, communicating with your coaches and team, being organized, and planning things,” said Cahalen.

Lead By Example:

“Teammates won’t take advice from someone who doesn’t even follow their own advice,” said Twiehaus.

When you assume the position of team captain, people inside and outside of your sport expect you to conduct yourself in a respectful manner. If you aren’t putting your “all in” during practices or if you are treating others negatively, your teammates will lose that sense of respect for you, which typically results in them ignoring your advice.

“On the field always going hard even when you don’t feel the best and off the field in class or anywhere, always be a good example to where they will follow you,” said Calmus.

The feeling of having eyes on you at all times may seem daunting but Calmus explained how it is quite the opposite:

“When I got voted a captain and announced at a team dinner it was just a good feeling knowing your teammates look at you like that,” he also shared: “Personally I know I have to hold myself to a higher standard knowing my teammates look at me and I got to be there for them.”

Cahalen explained that one of the ways she leads is “When we’re at games or practice I try to keep a smile on my face and lead by example, even if I’m tired or sore, to set a good example.”

Lu shared her perspective on how leading by example doesn’t just apply to those in a leadership position, “Personally, leading by example is the most impactful. Anyone can be leader, not just the captains. No matter what day, there will always be someone who is being leader that you can draw inspiration from. I see examples of this daily,” said Lu.

Motivate, Unify, Encourage!:

“If you build a solid relationship with everyone, people take advice much better,” said Twiehaus.

Each of the captains I spoke to emphasized how important it is to build relationships with your teammates and the importance of encouragement and motivation.

“Being close with everyone and building bonds in the film room or hanging out outside of football and building a brotherhood,” said Calmus.

Cahalen added, “Also, you have to try to keep everyone on the same page and make sure there’s no gossip or drama happening.”

“Facing adversity throughout the year and it falling on your shoulders as a captain, you have to build everyone up and keep the morale up as a unit. Encouragement and motivation to keep them up and keep them going,” said Calmus.

Lu also discussed how even though her team possesses a sense of motivation on its own she strives to uphold it…

“This includes building a positive and supportive team culture and spirit while working with the coaches and other team management. A captain helps set goals for both the team and individual swimmers. To achieve these goals, a captain actively encourages and motivates teammates to give their best effort daily and at every meet, as individual wins contribute to the team’s overall success. As a role model and source of motivation, the captain must set an example by working hard in practice, maintaining a positive attitude, and being a supportive teammate,” said Lu.

Lu also gave examples of how to create a supportive environment.

"Little things like a locker room pep talk or acknowledging what we have already achieved renew our energy and enthusiasm," said Lu.

Cahalen discussed a more specific method that her team uses called “mat talk.”

“I encourage my teammates whenever we’re practicing and competing. In cheer we encourage each other through ‘mat talk’ and I like to think of it as being each other’s personal cheerleaders. I use that a lot to motivate, especially in the middle of a routine,” said Cahalen.

She also shared that she fights to keep a positive mindset and be attentive to her teammates.

“I try to keep a positive mindset and be there for anyone who might be struggling inside or outside of practice. I think it does a lot to show up for your friends/teammates when they are having a hard time and that loyalty builds unity, among other things,” said Cahalen.

Guidance and Assistance:

Even captains need to seek advice or guidance from others, especially when tasked with leading those around them. A common source for guidance that they discussed was their parents or other athletes.

“I looked up to a lot of the older guys I used to play with and I see true leaders on the field while watching games on TV as well,” said Calmus.

He also shared that football has a leadership team and players from all classes talk about the team and how they can improve it each week.

Cahalen shared that she helps guide her team by using previous knowledge:

“I use my cheer knowledge and background to help my team and benefit them as much as possible, for instance, if a stunt isn’t working, I’ll watch it and offer my assistance to make it better; we all try to help each other in this way.”

Communication And Conflict:

When interacting with others conflict is bound to happen every now and then, especially in a competitive environment. When conflicts happen, how do you deal with them in an effective and responsible way?

“I like to listen to both sides of the story and step back from the situation to look at it from a different perspective, especially if it involves me. I usually will remind everyone why we are here, why we cheer, and why we’re a part of this team, to show how minor the conflict is (typically) and allow everyone to move on. If it’s a consistent issue, the other captains and I will discuss it and then go to our coach to find the best solution,” said Cahalen.

She also explained how her coach has made it a point to encourage communication so they can talk things out with her and with each other to ensure success.

“I make sure to keep a positive mindset and not let my emotions get the best of me to make sure I’m in the best place to benefit and lead my team, along with communicating with my coaches and the other captains,” said Cahalen.

Lu shared that she has found that active listening and getting other perspectives is important for conflict resolution.

“I find that active listening is a great strategy. When conflicts arise, I try to get multiple perspectives, listen to concerns, and find common ground for a constructive resolution. In the end, we all see the bigger picture of working as a team to take home the state trophies, so we are always committed to preserving team unity and maintaining a positive dynamic,” said Lu.

Twiehaus stated that she always tries to remain calm and collected when facing conflicts, a skill she learned from her mother, whom she said she often seeks when she needs advice.

“Effectively communicating the team’s thoughts to the coaches and vice versa builds trust and maintains mutual respect. This is about more than just swimming; it’s about building a strong, cohesive team,” said Lu.

When in a leadership position it is important to put the needs of your team above your own, keep open communication, motivate, and lead by example everywhere you go. Hopefully, you can apply these skills not only in sports but in your daily life.

For more information and their personal stories click here!