All Captains of a TUC team or event are required to accept and agree to the TUC Captain's Agreement when they register a team. This document will appear in the online team registration process and requires your agreement in order to proceed.
Thinking of becoming a captain or are already a captain of a TUC team? Then welcome to the Captain's Roles and Duties page! As a captain you have several responsibilities and your commitment to fulfill these responsibilities and take them seriously means A LOT when it comes to having a successful season. A team captain wears many hats and is often the driving force behind a team. If you do not like to organize, administer, or communicate then this might not be the right place for you. But if you do, then being a team captain can be a very rewarding experience; not only for you but for all of your teammates and the teams you play against as well.
One thing to know is that whomever signs up a team on our web site is automatically designated as a captain of that team. As the lead administrative person you are responsible for setting up the team roster. In your Zuluru account, under 'My Teams' the team that you have registered (and paid for) will appear, you can click on it, and then click 'add player' to the left of the team list (you can also edit the team name, etc, using the left hand menu). Find the player(s) you are looking for and click 'add to Team X' and then they are invited by email to join your team. You can even use previous years team rosters to invite players in bulk form. Once your players accept the roster invitation, you can change them from a regular player to captain, coach, sub, etc. By adding another captain you can offload or share the team admin responsibilities.
Captain's Roles
- SPIRIT Advocate
- Administrator
- Advisor/Mediator
- Coach
- Liaison (between teams, between the Club and your team members)
- Communicator
- Teacher
- Traffic Controller
- Problem Solver
Captain's Duties
- Know the rules of Ultimate.
- Encourage your players to ALWAYS PLAY WITH SPIRIT. See below.
- Bring the Captain's handbook (summer) or a copy of the field permits to each game - politely defuse any field conflicts.
- Understand the TUC policies (i.e. Bad Weather, Game Cancellation) and ensure teammates are aware of them and abide by them.
- Make sure that all team players are registered TUC members and on your roster. If you bring in new players during the summer season they should be on your roster no later than the 3rd game they play.
- Where applicable (summer), attend mandatory TUC scheduled captain's meetings and distribute any information/packages that are made available for your team.
- Encourage your players to follow TUC online, check the web site, and participate in TUC clinics, tournaments, and social events.
- Check your email regularly throughout the season for updates from the League Convenor or TUC office. Communicate important information to your teammates.
- If during a scheduled game you experience inclement weather (i.e. lightning, frequent thunderstorms) talk with the other captain and make the proper call (continue playing, play last point and record score, or stop game and reschedule).
- Meet with the opposing captain before and during the game to clarify any rules and solve any on-field issues.
- Report to TUC any serious injuries, field hazards, or incidents that take place during your game.
- Squash any on-field tensions that arise - SPIRIT COMES BEFORE WINNING! Call a timeout, talk to the other captain, bench your own player if necessary - it is your obligation to ensure that your team plays with Spirit and the other captain the same thing. If there is an on-field rule dispute you can briefly stop the play and discuss. If players can not reach an agreement with 30 seconds then the disc can go back to the thrower and after the game you should meet to talk about it.
- Enter scores as soon as possible after each game, including SOTG score.
- In your absence, appoint a co-captain to administer the above responsibilities. A captain's absence is no excuse for poor Spirit, lack of communication, or failure to report scores!
REMEMBER TO ALWAYS PLAY WITH SPIRIT!
What is Spirit of the Game (SOTG)? It’s only the most IMPORTANT aspect of the great game of Ultimate, the underlying principle that governs our sport and separates us from the rest. Playing with Spirit doesn’t just mean sing a song after a game (although that is a fun and Spirited thing to do!), it means respecting your teammates, opponents, the rules, the community, and the game. SOTG means being honest and fair with yourself and with others on the field, as well as believing that they too are being the same. Playing with Spirit means that you accept there will be different perspectives on the field, and that you will calmly discuss those perspectives with your opponents. SOTG means you will avoid making contact with your opponents if possible. It means you will pick someone up when they fall, and apologize if you were perceived to be the reason they fell. SOTG means win or lose, you treat your opponents and your teammates the same way; with appreciation, with a smile, and with a high five after the game congratulating them on a fun competition. SOTG means showing up on time (regular summer game started ideally at 6:45pm and no later than 7pm). Playing with Spirit means involving and encouraging weaker players on your team. It also means correcting or stopping your teammates when they are not playing with Spirit. If things get heated in your game, remember SPIRIT OF THE GAME PREVAILS. Call a timeout. Captains and players talk to your teams. Talk to each other. Be fair. Be respectful. Wins and losses come and go, but what really matters is the game that we share and the relationships that we create through the great game of Ultimate.