Indiana University Athletics
Oh Captain, My Captain - Julian Dieterle and Laura McGaffigan
9/25/2006 12:00:00 AM | General
Sept. 25, 2006
The role of team captain is never one to be taken lightly. The players are usually voted on by their teammates to serve as captain, because they know that they can look up to these individuals to help them through both tough spots and good times.
Senior Julian Dieterle is a team captain for the men's soccer team, while senior Laura McGaffigan serves in the role for the women's tennis team. Although both sports are very different, both athletes say that they have similar responsibilities.
Their leadership starts with the way that they carry themselves.
"As team captain, the most important thing is leading by example," Dieterle said. "Others around you see how much work that you are putting in, and they see what you are doing. You need to step up and set the standard, and be that role model for the younger players on the team.
 Senior Laura McGaffigan claims that as a captain, it's important to set a positive example for the rest of the team.  |
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McGaffigan also emphasizes that the captains also serve an important role in communication between members of the team and the coaching staff.
"One of our roles is to make sure everything is right on the team, chemistry wise," McGaffigan said. "A lot of it has to do with communication between the team and coaches."
One of the things that both of them have learned from team captains that served before them is that their attitudes during competition will reflect onto the rest of the team.
"The captains almost have to have a claming effect on the team," Dieterle said. "If you're having a bad game, you look to them because if they're not freaking out and panicking, then you won't panic. You're just trying to keep everyone levelheaded so you can get out of a situation before it gets worse."
Although Dieterle is on the field with the rest of the soccer team and McGaffigan is on her own court, she claims that the same theory comes into play when the tennis team plays dual matches.
"When we're playing, we do look over at each other's courts," McGaffigan said. "It's important to stay positive and keep calm, setting a good example for the rest of the team. It's nice to see when someone can have a positive attitude even when they are losing."
In addition to responsibilities directly involved with training and competition, captains also play a role in helping younger players adapt to the college environment.
"Coming to college, everything is new to you. You look up to the players who have so much experience," McGaffigan said. "My freshman year, the team captain (Martina Grimm) took me around campus and showed me where all my classes were the day before classes started. It made me feel so much better, after coming to school and not knowing where anything was.
"It's really important that players on the team have someone that they feel comfortable going to if anything is wrong."
Dieterle and McGaffigan don't go about being a captain alone, both have co-captains that they can also rely on. Senior Josh Tudela is co-captain in soccer, and senior Cecile Perton serves for tennis. Sometimes they need that other person, as well as the rest of their teammates, to remind them to stay positive when they are having a tough day.
"One of the qualities that you need to have in a leadership position is that you have to learn to rely on your teammates," Dieterle said. "That's what team is about. You need to feel like you've done your job well enough that the guys are equipped to help you get out and get you going.
"Although Josh and I are the face of the soccer team, there are a lot of guys behind the scenes that do a lot for team morale. Everyone's pretty much on the same page, and we want to make sure it stays that way."
