Pushing Through the Pressure

Students discuss what it takes to be a leader.

By Adrianna Armijo

From cheering and giving motivation to your teammates on the court, to setting examples of how to be a good role model or even creating posters for school spirit. These are many traits of what it is like to take on the task of being a team leader.

Senior Maya Gutierrez, team leader of the girls varsity soccer team has played soccer for around 11-13 years. When high school season came around she had joined the soccer team. She discusses her role on the team.

“[My task of being a leader is] mostly holding people account able and making sure everybody is on task but also knowing how to support my teammates,” Gutierrez said.

Being a team leader is more than just cheering for your team. Team leaders show commitment, good communication and demonstrate integrity and it can cause pressure. Gutierrez mentioned it can be pressuring at times, when everybody is looking up to you or not knowing where to go about during certain situations.

“There is pressure being a leader on any team, everybody looks up to you so you feel a lot pressure of being there for everybody and pulled in different directions,” Gutierrez said.

Senior Maya Ochoa, team leader of the girls varsity basketball team, has been playing basketball for around 11 years. She had just finished her last season of high school basketball, and shares her perspective of leading a team and how the importance of connecting with the underclassmen.

“My task of being a team leader is to really make sure everyone is feeling included. Freshman year I didn’t have a good experience with feeling like I was a part of the team since I wasn’t good friends with the upper- classmen. But this year since I’m now considered an upperclassman I made sure to be as inclusive as I can and to connect with the underclassmen,” Ochoa said.

Ochoa believes that positivity and making sure everyone is included is key to making a good relationship with her teammates. She also mentioned that being a team leader has been in leadership for two years and has mentioned that being in leadership can be stressful especially during times when it comes to spirit weeks.

“Yes, there is a lot of stress and pressure, when we have these spirit weeks and other events that we have here on campus because you may not know the unexpected. We feel stress a lot of things when they don’t go according to plan like everything may or may not be good or bad. It can result in a different outcome.” Vega said. Even though there can be some stress being in leadership, Vega had also mentioned how the class creates a lot of group bonding with one another and how it can help meeting new people or create new friendships. He had also mentioned how everyone in the class is very supportive of each other in the class and how everyone has each other’s back.

Ochoa also mentioned how it’s hard to lead the team sometimes when it’s hard for her to not get down on herself for mistakes or trying to hide emotions.

“Yes, there’s a good amount of times where I find it hard and stressful to be a leader. I have a bad habit of letting my emotions out when I play and I get frustrated quickly and I noticed when this happens the energy on the team will also shift and then that leaves me with a bunch of guilt and blame for a loss all because I got angry.” Ochoa said.

Being on a sports team leader isn’t always the only role that feels some type of stress. Senior Abraham Vega,

“There is one thing that we all have to do is that we always have to make everyone have fun and enjoy themselves with these spirit weeks and events. Fun, communication, team building, leadership bonding, being a leader, and getting to know one another is the key to everything and success.” Vega said.

At the end of the day leaders just want what’s best for their team for the next season. Leaders must stay positive and keep the good energy around and to step up for the next season. They must learn how to manage the team, put in the work and to just have fun.

“I hope for the next season that the underclassmen can step up and learn how to lead without us captains and us seniors, know how to manage the team and also know how to put in hardwork and to have fun.” Gutierrez