CAVALIER
CAPTAINS With a desire to guide their teammates to success, the school’s team captains share their motivations to lead BY NATALIE FALLS, STAFF WRITER
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AKING THE INITIATIVE TO guide their peers to championships, team captains are committed to helping their teammates. As team captain, one strives to guide their teammates and motivate them to press on towards another win, while upholding team traditions and bond through activities both during and after
sporting matches. For seniors Alexander Bell, Peter Kellogg and Jasmine Morales, being varsity team captain is much more than a title. It is a role that grants them the opportunity to instill in others the same grit and tenacity that has driven their individual passions. Taking the initiative to guide their peers during a global time of uncertainty due
to the COVID-19 pandemic, these studentathletes keep their teammates motivated to conquer their matches. From football to soccer to cheerleading, these team captains work towards the same goal: to push their teammates and ensure that they have the training to be victorious both on and off the field.
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BELL ALEXANDER BELL
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Through his devotion to football, wide receiver Alexander Bell has dedicated himself to the game since the age of five. He has poured his time into perfecting his leadership skills and overall performance through countless hours of practice and patience. In hopes of improving the legacy of the football team and pursuing athletic scholarship opportunities through his activity on the field, he enthusiastically took on his role as captain. Knowing how demanding leading a team of over 35 players is, Bell finds that it is crucial to maintain a balance between staying focused on the game and bonding with the team by destressing. By keeping his team energized and mentaly prepared, Bell believes that leading by example is most effective when attempting to get his teammates on the same page as him. “I know when it’s time to play and have fun and when it’s time to be serious and lock in,” Bell said. “You must be able to take control when things go left and lead by example.” Apart from leading his teammates and teaching them his techniques on the field, Bell finds that his experience as captain has taught him a few valuable lessons as well. As team captain, he has learned the importance of
communication and how it is a key component when striving to keep the team on the same page. In addition, his teammates have taught him what it truly means to be a part of a team and how, at the end of the day, they can always rely on each other. “He always tries to push the tempo and energy whenever he can. He has contributed on the field and has given the team momentum as well,” senior outside linebacker Troy Fredrick said. Despite the roadblocks that this season has endured as a result of the global pandemic, Bell strives to ensure that the players continue to put in the same amount of hardwork and effort, regardless if their training over Zoom or in-person on the field. As captain, he has also taken precautionary measures to guarantee the health and safety of his team members by dividing the players up into groups of ten. By doing so, Bell hopes that the sense of comradery and being a team remains with each player as they train, while still remaining in a safe environment. His determination and commitment to playing the sport and serving his team, have led Bell to instill in his teammates the dedication necessary to excel in football and in life.
