Capt'n skills?

[FritoBandito]

OK so this year I am the captain of my 3 man team. I figure the most important things are:
-Commanding respect so they listen to me which i do, my team mates like and respect me.
-Giving good advice which i can do. Even though I cant always call out every action (different post) i get the general idea of what went wrong or right.
-Being motivating, invariably someone will have a bad bout i have to be able to lead them out of the mental stink that will ensue.

Yes?

[Warrior Princess]

Be a good friend, like a brother (in your case).

[Phrogger]

If I might grant some advice, not as a former team captain but as a Captain of Marines, one does not command respect but earns it. This is accomplished in many ways but a good way to start is always to make sure everyone on your team is taken care of before you are, always being the first to arrive and last to leave practice, and never asking anyone on your team to do anything you yourself wouldn't do (and demonstrate that by doing it from time to time).

I wish you success!

[lguillemin]

If I might grant some advice, not as a former team captain but as a Captain of Marines, one does not command respect but earns it. This is accomplished in many ways but a good way to start is always to make sure everyone on your team is taken care of before you are, always being the first to arrive and last to leave practice, and never asking anyone on your team to do anything you yourself wouldn't do (and demonstrate that by doing it from time to time).

I wish you success!

I'll quote this for emphasis. Really put them before you and they will respect you.

[Wafath]

It depends on the dynamic of the squad and the team, but, possibly:

- Ensure that there is a squad present and ready to fence (has all equipment, no-one is suffering from "Severe Dehydration") on game day.
- Keep an eye on equipment, and make sure that it gets fixed/replaced as needed.
- Talk with coach(es) about lesson focus, intensity, etc. If there is a disconnect between the squad and the coach, you have responsibility to help bridge that gap.

In many ways, a squad captain is one of those thankless jobs. You don't get more power, you just get more responsibility.

W

[catwood1]

Everything phrogger says is very good. It applies to being in charge of fencing stuff perfectly. Take that basically as gospel...

Quick side note: being liked and being respected aren't the same thing. You can be both liked and respected at the same time, but if it comes down to it, take the path that gets you respect not popularity.

[jdavies]

... but if it comes down to it, take the path that gets you respect not popularity.

Very true. Popularity without respect is the pathway to contempt.

[MyrddinsPrecint]

Communication is key. You won't be everywhere at all times. Not only do you have to learn how to give advice to your mates (and they may need different advice given in different ways), but they also need to be able to give advice to each other and you. You may never be able to pull a specific person out of a funk, but someone else might be able to do so easily.

About twice a year, I had the team break into squads and talk about what each person liked/found useful. Some people really liked cheering, some people hated it, some wanted advice during a bout but never immediately after, some people only wanted positive things, some only wanted negative things. And sometimes, what they wanted changed after they knew how to fence a bit better. By talking about it with their squad mates, they figured things out, and then we got together as a team and gave everyone a brief idea of the most important points for any individual.

This is a particularly good exercise for a day just a little before the first big competition (preferably after a little competition), and about halfway through the season. It's perfect for when the entire team cannot concentrate on ANYTHING and you want to get something mildly productive done anyway, or on a day when you don't have the right facility, or you're locked out, or the coach is running a little bit late.

Then again, I was on a team entirely made up of prickley* women, so YMMV.

Oh, and ditto on everything that's been said already.

*Yes, Telk, I mean it in that way too.

[foillion]

Then again, I was on a team entirely made up of prickley* women, so YMMV.

*Yes, Telk, I mean it in that way too.

Wait wait....AHAHAHAHAHA. ok done.

-P

Telk your turn....

[Warrior Princess]

I agree with what Phrogger said about making sure that everyone on your team is taken care of before you are. Your fencing and your tournaments, even if they're individual ones, aren't just about you anymore so...
- Even if you're not fencing in a tournament that your teammates are, go and support them. I don't know how connected the different teams (men's/woman's and different weapons), but if they are, show up early even if you don't fence until later.
- Always have an extra waterbottle and bring any extra equipment that you may have; someone always forgets something important (most often it's the socks).
- Learn how to fix equipment and bring the appropriate tools. If you can be there during someone's bout when something goes wrong with their equipment and you can fix it for them right there, it'll help them focus again. (Not to mention, it's a useful skill to have anyway).
- Know the rules really well. If you can help reff bouts during practice, it'll help in tournaments. You can't strip coach if you don't know what's going on. It's also just something good to know.
- Know your teammates. Do they even want a strip coach? If so, what kind of coaching do they want/need? Or do they just want someone there with a waterbottle?
- Have a first aid kit if for no other reason then because it's good to have one.

There are other things too, but that's more team specific. You'll figure it out as you go.

[KD5MDK]

It should be noted this is a 3 man team. We should consider that scale carefully when gauging replies. (ie, it is unlikely it will split into squads)