The game is on the line, your team is down by one, and you only have one opportunity to win the game with the fate of your team on your shoulders, they can either let the pressure get to them or they can step up for the team.
These are the scenarios that the leaders of the team have to go through. More often than not, in today’s sports, leaders of teams are expected to and have to make big decisions for their teams.
“In practice we try put them in a pressure situation, whether it be extra conditioning or getting a play off in a curtain time to try and create that pressure”, said the head varsity football coach, Coach Sanders.
Leaders deal with pressure in different ways and some players don’t even feel stressed going into a game knowing they are a big addition to the team.
Nick Zell (12), starting varsity quarterback said “once you get into the game it all goes away” which helps him get dialed into the game.
Being the center of attention on the team includes being a role model to younger players as they look up to you for advice and tips to become a better player.
Ryan Sanchez (12) is a role model to the younger players, “you can’t be super uptight but having fun” as all the key players on the team strive to be role model.
Transition: It might seem that one player might carry the whole team like Lebron on the Cavilers but that is not the case as almost all of key players rely on their team. Without all of the components to a team, the key players can’t make a big impact on the game.
“ I need my team to do their job so I can do mine” says Zell.
As for Naji Othman(11), a key player on the boys varsity water polo team gives advice to the younger players by “helping them with their form and technique”
On the field, court, or even the pool, top might make it look easy but they worked really hard to get the position they are in.
“If I’m not feeling the pain, I’m not making progress” said Devin Norris(12) who was a captain of the boys Varsity Water polo team as a Junior last year.
Leaders of teams can either step up to win the game or they can give into the pressure and lose the game.