The chatter of teammate introductions mixes with the smack of the volleyballs against the ground or the whoosh of soccer balls finding the back of the net. These are some of the many sounds heard at captains practices.
Across various sports, captains run team practices before tryouts without the presence of a coach. Depending on the season of the sport, these practices can occur during the summer, fall, winter or early spring.
Senior and girls varsity soccer captain Mirabelle Keselman said captains practices help players understand the team dynamic and how teammates interact with one another on a regular basis.
“When we can get together, older players, returners and the incoming freshmen, it’s nice for them to see the dynamic we have because we’re all interacting with each other,” Keselman said. “They get to see what the vibe is like, and then if they end up making the team, they already have insight into what the team dynamic is.”
Senior and boys varsity volleyball captain Amir Tomer said the closeness within the program that captains practice creates allows players across all levels to form connections with one another.
“It just helps the older guys get introduced to the younger guys,” Tomer said. “I think I can name every single person in the program, and that just helps bring everyone together.”
Senior varsity wrestling and varsity lacrosse captain Manny Tolkoff said that captains practices build team camaraderie through the work that they put in, which prepares them for the workload that they will put in during the season. An example of this is the runs through the entirety of Harvard Stadium that the team does, Tolkoff said.
“It is not easy, you just do it together, and it just builds good camaraderie,” Tolkoff said. “The whole idea is we stay as a group. You are as fast as the slowest guy.”
Tolkoff said that athletes learn the value of hard work through the high-intensity wrestling captains practices.
“I think kids really learn how to push themselves. It’s really brutal doing the stuff we do, going on long runs or doing a stadium. So they learn that skill of how to do something you don’t necessarily want to do,” Tolkoff said.
For the lacrosse captains practices, Tolkoff said that playing without the pressure of training or having a coach around helps people develop a love for the sport.
“I think it’s good to get out and just play for fun with no pressure,” Tolkoff said. “There’s no one watching, and you are not training specifically for a game. It’s just building the love of the game and having fun with your teammates.”
Tolkoff said that captains practices help lacrosse players get a grasp of the sport.
“It’s teaching you how to think quickly and to increase your game sense. We usually do a lot of skill work too, so it helps kids to get and get better at their skills and to see what level you need to be at to be a varsity starter and stuff like that,” Tolkoff said.
Tomer said that captains practices build excitement for the upcoming season.
“It gets people fired up for the season,” Tomer said. “Once it’s time for captain’s practices, people realize that the season’s right around the corner and everyone is excited.”
