The Playbook for Player-Led Teams

When writing to an audience of coaches, I am not sure I have to speak to the power of player leadership. I hear about it almost every coaching call - life is made easier by great leaders and harder by a lack of leadership.

Research supports this — Among other things, research supports that quality athlete leadership enhances team resilience, motivation, and effort as well as improved player well-being and a decreased risk of burnout

It’s common for coaches to feel that empowering players to take the lead could undermine their authority. However, research shows when coaches develop leaders within their teams, they are perceived as stronger leaders themselves. This collaborative leadership approach enhances the coach’s role, creating a more cohesive and resilient team.

Here’s the playbook we’re using to develop player-led teams:

Co-Create Standards with Your Team
What behaviors meet the standard? What falls below? What can we all agree on? Standards create clarity, and collaboration builds ownership. Leadership thrives on clarity and ownership.

Define Leadership as Influence
Once standards are set, leadership becomes influencing others to meet them more often. Too many athletes feel that they have to an a**  or call out their teammates to be a leader, whereas encouragement, pulling a teammate, putting your arm around them and telling them they are capable of more can even more influential. This expands the definition of leadership—athletes don’t have to be the loudest voice to make an impact. 

Highlight Individual Strengths
We are told stories of specific leaders and athlete's are prone to thinking that leadership title means changing to fit a certain mold. That’s not the case. Leadership can come from energy, relationships, communication, or work ethic. Help them see their unique strengths and how they already influence others in a positive way.

Remove the Perfection Barrier
Athletes often feel they need to be flawless before they can lead. While earning respect matters, this mindset stunts leadership. Reinforce that leadership is about stepping up and helping the team be 1% better—not being perfect.

Create Leadership Reps
Leadership is a skill, and skills require practice. Step back and give your team a timeout during practice. Let them course-correct without your input, let them run a huddle in practice, tell them the adjustment you see, and allow them to problem-solve. The more opportunities they have to take ownership, the more they’ll grow.