1. MNSU Swimming & Diving Rotating Captains

2. Responsibility of Captain Lead by Example Encourage your Teammates Support your Teammates

3. Non-Captain Roles Support your Captains Support your Team Hold Yourself Accountable

4. Organized Functions Created Locker Room Signs Motivational Video Organized a Meet Line Up Promoted the Swim Team Around Campus Hosted a Team Dinner Sporting Event Get Together Fugitive Pre Swim Meet Inspirational Cards: “Watch out for Blum; she will put you in a tomb” Swim Meet Cheers Accountability Partners Hawaii T-Shirts Volunteering at a local School Trick-or-Treat with the Mavericks

6. Coaches Enhancing the Experience Handing out articles and discussing effective leaders with the first captains. Strength Finders – Understanding one another. Visiting the Ropes Course a couple times and facilitating a team bonding initiative once a week: ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE!!

7. Ropes Course

8. Benefits “No 1-2 people have all the power.” “Motivation to work to be as good a captain as you can.” “I think it helps everyone feel that they can voice their opinions and ideas.” “So many great ideas and different perspectives; everyone gets a chance to be a good influence and make their voice heard (even newbies) and makes everyone feel included.” “Everyone can experience the goods and bads of being a captain.” “No power trips and people are leaders even after their 2 weeks are up.” “The captains are more excited about being a leader.”

9. Do the Swimmers Like It?

10. 18 Love It! “It is great for each swimmer to understand the hardships and stresses that come with being a leader, at least with the title as Captain.” “I like it, and think it’s beneficial especially for an all girls team.” “I think it is a great option and should be done more often.” “Love it!” “I think it helps to build team Chemistry.” “Great idea, benefits everyone involved.”

11. 2 Opinions Changed “ At first I was skeptical about the idea but I have started to actually like it. I feel like there isn’t always pressure on me and I think if you are a Captain you always feel pressure because you are held to a higher standard.” “At first I didn’t like the idea at all. I feel that being a Captain is something one can earn as they move through a program. I haven’t had any negative experiences, so now I’m neutral…”

12. 4 Don’t Like It “… Keep it between Seniors, maybe upperclassmen rotate through. Freshman don’t understand/know why a lot of things are the way they are leading to not much leadership past hardworking.” “Make them permanent ones because I forget who the Captain is.” “Not a fan, Seniors already establish leading roles and are still the go-to people.” “Just rotate upperclassmen – underclassman don’t want to step up or take charge over upperclassmen.

13. Assessment Strongly Disagree DisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeN/A I have contributed to my team as a leader -1688- My teammates respected me as a captain --4676 My fellow captains respected me when I was a captain --25106 I felt confident in facilitating team activities --22136 I have a better understanding of what it takes to be a captain -32810- I have a better understanding of what it means to be a Lady Mav -13712- My closing speech to teammates was sincere --13118

14. Assessment Strongly Disagree DisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeN/A Only Seniors can lead a team effectively135-41- My team gets along really well--3713- I respect my teammates---815- The team captains listen to the team--689- I have learned from the team captains-32108- I feel like an important member of The Lady Mavs -24512- I have a better understanding of what it means to be a team player -2489-

15. Community Pride

16. How to Improve Make the Captains more Prominent Longer than 2 weeks More activities for coaches to teach leadership Emphasis to Upperclassman that Freshman are Captains to learn through experience - The four that don’t like it said: “Freshman are too timid and inexperienced to be in charge”

17. MN State Standard 5.Exhibits responsible personal and social behavior in physical activity settings. 1. Students will initiate independent and responsible behavior in physical activity settings. Work cooperatively with teammates. Accepts and takes responsibility for mistakes. Refrains form participation that may results in injury to self or other Encourages and is courteous to others. Responsible for own behavior. 2. Students will accept the responsibility for taking a leadership role and willingly follow as appropriate in order to accomplish goals. 3. Students will anticipate potentially dangerous consequences and outcomes of participation in physical activity 4. Students will develop strategies to avoid potential inappropriate behaviors during physical activities. While officiating a competition listen to all sides of the issue before taking action in a conflict.