By Logan Holman
staff writer
Leaders are important to the success of a team. That’s why the Saginaw Valley League and the Michigan High School Athletic Association have a captain’s clinic every year to help young high school athletes with good leadership traits understand what it means to be a leader.
The students invited included members of DHS’ sports teams that were nominated by their coaches and then voted on.
“The goal is to have the kids go in to the process and sort of get a better understanding what it is to be a leader not only on the field or court or on the ice but also understand how to be a leader off the floor,” athletic director Bob Wellman said.
Senior Sean Cushman, juniors Rico Angell, Gavin Groszek, Arianna Jehl and Josie Queary, along with sophomores Kara Dean, Abby Drumright, Adam Fitzgibbon and Leigha Newton all took part this year. Each one was representing a sport that he or she may the leader of very soon, if not already.
“Last year, I don’t think I was a leader because I was the youngest on the team,” softball player Newton said. “But this year I hope to be more in control and show people what to do and be a good leader.”
The clinic defiantly seems to have affected at least some of the students in a positive way.
“I thought it was a really good experience,” Drumright said. “I learned a lot about leadership and how to apply it to both my team and life.”
At the clinic, participants went through different stations with power points and activities to help the teen athletes learn how to be a better leader.
“I think I learned a lot because I didn’t know what good leaders are and what they have to do,” basketball player Fitzgibbon said.
The captain of a team has to be a role model, a person that can be used in an example of a great student athlete. They have to be good at the sport they play, communicating with their team and have the right morals off the field. An athlete doesn’t choose to lead a team, a team choses their leader. Some leaders don’t even want to lead their team. But most of the DHS students who attended the captains’ clinic aren’t that way.
“I like being a leader and being looked up to for advice and stuff and also working with my teammates and helping us become the best we can be,” Newton said.
