The spring athletic season is nearing, which means new faces, fresh competition and, of course, a plethora of options for captains’ practices.

Captains’ practices are captain-led practices that happen just before the beginning of an athletic season. These practices are a way for athletes to meet one another and train in a way that is helpful for both tryouts and the upcoming season.

Senior and boys lacrosse captain Emmett Teahan said he views captains practices as an alternate environment, aside from tryouts and regular practices, for players to come out of their shell.

“Captains practices are different because I would say they are more about learning,” Teahan said. “The coaches aren’t there, so they are less intense. Kids are more [likely] to ask questions to their captains.”

From her underclassmen years to captaincy, senior and girls lacrosse captain Faith Rothstein said that captains’ practices have offered her a way to connect with her teammates.

“They definitely did help because that’s how I gained connections with the upperclassmen when I was an underclassman myself,” Rothstein said. “Now I know a bunch of freshmen who want to play lacrosse and they can get in contact with me if they need it.”

Senior and boys tennis captain Owen Eskey said that playing for a team allows for a sense of togetherness in tennis, a primarily individual sport.

“My first captains’ practice was last year and I thought it was really important when we had them because it helped us get to know each other a little better and to form a more tight-knit community,” Eskey said.

In an effort to welcome and bring these newcomers onto the team, senior and captain Zoe Raybould said that rugby captains’ practices focus a lot on building morale.

“Captains practices for us are a lot more about building someone’s confidence before they learn the skills,” Raybould said. “We feel that people need to be, first and foremost, confident in themselves and have faith in themselves to be able to do something before they actually do it.”

In addition to building a strong community off the court, Eskey said that captains’ practices also help the tennis team strengthen their performances on the court.

“They help us get to know each other better as players,” Eskey said. “In tennis, we’re always looking for the best pairings and line-ups for our starting seven and it helps us know who has done what during the off-season, who’s prepared, who’s going to work better with each other in doubles, who’s going to be better at singles.”

Although captains’ practices offer competition and train athletes for the upcoming season, Raybould said that, above all, they build connections within the team and foster a joyful environment.

“One of the most important things is the bonding aspect of it. We talk to everyone and have everyone introduce themselves,” Raybould said. “We mostly just have fun and begin to foster that love for the sport that all the returning players have.”