Stop Expecting Your Captains to Lead Without Training Them How

This episode breaks down how to build a Leadership Core that actually develops leaders, not just ceremonial captains. Grab more coaching must haves → https://coachfreetraining.com

If your captains' biggest responsibilities are coin flips and jersey selection, you're not alone. Most coaches give athletes titles without training them how to lead. I made this mistake for years.

I expected captains to hold teammates accountable, manage equipment, and handle conflict. They didn't know how. What teenager does?

👋🏼 I'm Coach Bre - a mental performance coach for girl athletes, Co-Founder of The Elite Competitor, and a long-time head volleyball coach and 4-time state champion.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How to create an application process for your Leadership Core (not a popularity contest)
• The 3-4 summer leadership development meetings that train athletes before the season starts
• How to assign squad leaders with specific roles like Energy Leader and Connection Leader
• Why having 6-8 trained leaders beats having 2-3 ceremonial captains
• How your Leadership Core can facilitate mental training and solve peer conflicts

This system creates sustainable leadership that doesn't depend on you micromanaging or starting over every season when your captains graduate.

🕓 Key Moments:
00:00 Introduction
00:19 My Coaching Mistake
01:53 Building a Leadership Core System
03:17 Element 1: The Application Process
05:01 Element 2: Leadership Development
06:50 Element 3: Squad Leaders & Real Roles
09:59 Championship Program Membership
10:58 Handling Team Drama

💬 Coaches - how do you help train leaders on your team? Comment below.

READY TO BUILD YOUR LEADERSHIP CORE?
Inside the Championship Program Membership, you get the exact template I use to create your Leadership Core (application, summer plan, leadership roles). Then we hop on a live coaching call together and BUILD your version. Every month = new template + live coaching call.

Join here → https://champions.elitecompetitor.com

📌 Free Tools & Next Steps
🔹 Grab our in-depth FREE training → https://coachfreetraining.com
🔹 Follow us on IG → @elitecompetitorcoach
🔹 Follow us on TikTok→ @coachhergame

🔔 Subscribe for More → Never miss an episode of Coach Her Game!

P.S.A few stats worth knowing:

• Student-athletes who participate in structured leadership training programs demonstrate 23% higher rates of positive team behaviors including accountability and peer support. (Journal of Sport Psychology in Action, 2021)
• Teams with distributed leadership structures report 34% fewer conflicts and faster conflict resolution times. (International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching, 2020)
• Coaches who implement structured leadership systems report spending 40% less time managing team drama and interpersonal conflicts. (NFHS Coaching Survey, 2023)

The Coach Her Game YouTube channel is hosted by The Elite Competitor and is dedicated to helping coaches of girl athletes strengthen their mental game and team culture in order to develop a competitive edge.

Head to coachfreetraining.com to grab our free training for coaches to quickly level-up your team's mental game!