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ILLUSTRATION BY Darren Gygi My son's first year of hockey was like living an episode of Oprah. "You get to be captain. Then you get to be captain. And you. Come on down and get a "C" taped to your jersey." While at the time it didn't make sense to me, it turns out there was a method to that coach's madness of rotating captains. Each kid got to see the weight that should be attached to that "C". The following year, no captain was selected for the start of the season. Huh? The coach explained that he wanted to see a captain emerge from the pack. After a month of practices and games, he would be able to determine the player with the "C" qualities and it would not necessarily be the most tal- ented or the kid who scored the most goals. An ideal captain can come in many forms; it could be a communicator who rallies the troops and gets the best out of everyone. Or it could be a lead-by-example type who keeps his or her head down and gets results by set- ting the bar for the team. There are plenty of ways to pick a team leader. Havertown, Pa., hockey dad/coach Lee Elias, author of "WIN: What Every Team Needs to Know to Create A Championship Culture," says, "It's a good idea for the role of captaincy to be shared by all players at the younger levels." Leadership is something that can be taught. In addition to basic skills, we can also teach basics of responsibility, accountability and what it means to be a great teammate. "All important life lessons that go beyond the game," Elias says. Hockey tradition and the rulebook call on teams to designate a captain and two alternates. They are cho- sen to act as liaisons between the coach and officials. But what makes a great captain? "It's setting an example on ice," said one of the greatest captains i n h i s t o r y, h o c k e y i c o n C a m m i Granato, who served as captain of the U.S. Women's National Team for years. "It's pretty tough to define your own leadership," she once said. "I think you can do it on a daily basis. In my mind, it's always making sure you're thinking of the team first." Officially, the job description is pretty simple. Be the representative of the team when discussion was needed with referees. In practice, there is much more involved. From communicating with coaches, getting messages out to teammates, corralling the group for buses to squashing locker room issues. Chris Chelios, Mark Messier, Joe Sakic and Jonathan Toews were all brilliant players and legends in their own right. But bring up any of those names and one thing stands out—their leadership skills. Leaders can lead in a positive direction and elevate the team, or they can take the elevator ride down and drag everybody with them. Their attitude and actions set the tone for the team. As Granato said, "Team first." Aye Aye captain. P 20 // APRIL 2021 USAHOCKEYMAGAZINE.COM JOHN O'BANNON Age 65 Stevensville, Mont. John O'Bannon stands for everything that's good about youth hock- ey, from personal devel- opment to leadership to just having fun. He grew up learning those same principles as a young- ster in St. Louis. Years later, O'Bannon made the jump from Missouri to Montana where he found the opportunities for hockey in his new hometown were limited. So he and others in the commu- nity stepped up in a big way for youth hockey. "We were on the Canadian border and there wasn't even a rink in the city. I couldn't believe it," he recalled. "A lot of people finally put a rink together and I got into coaching through that." His time with the Missoula organization has been devoted to creating positive experi- ences for kids of all ages. Grace Hoene, youth hockey director at Missoula Area Youth Hockey Association, has seen firsthand the impact O'Bannon has had on the game in the area. "John brings a Midwest hockey back- ground to our hockey community. He's helped Missoula grow into a full-blown hock- ey town," Hoene said. COACH OF THE MONTH Wearing The 'C' Is A Badge Of Honor THE HOCKEY MOM By Christie Casciano Burns R I N K RAT BEH I N D T HE G L A SS "It's a good idea for the role of captaincy to be shared by all players at the younger levels."