Flipping the script: Using an online captain’s course to leverage leadership development training with youth club soccer athletes

Abstract

Engaging youth athletes in leadership and life skills development through sport, and explicitly helping them identify how to transfer those assets to other areas of their life has been encouraged in recent sport psychology literature. A common barrier to doing such involved work with athletes during a competitive season, is the limited amount of time a consultant has to spend with the aspiring leaders. Therefore, we leveraged a free online captain’s training course in a “flipped approach” to leadership development. Describing three short vignettes and culminating in lessons learned, practitioners will have a strong guide to implementing a similar program.

Keywords:

• Captains
• athlete leadership development
• online learning