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Paul Laurence Dunbar · Men's Soccer · 2026

Captain Selection

Leadership Questionnaire

Being a captain is about how you serve this team — not your stats. Answer honestly and thoughtfully. There are no right or wrong answers.

01
About You
Full Name *
Position(s) You Play
02
Why Captain
Why do you want to be a captain?
Be specific. What drives you to take on this role beyond wanting the title?
What does being a captain mean to you?
Not the dictionary definition — what does it personally mean to you on this team?
What would you do differently as captain compared to how you currently show up as a teammate?
Honest self-awareness here matters more than a perfect answer.
03
Leadership
How do you typically lead — and give an example from this team or another team.
Think about a real moment when you led. What did you do and what happened?
Captain is a service role, not a status role. When there's unglamorous work to be done — setting up training, staying after to help a teammate, doing the drill nobody wants to do — do you jump in alongside your teammates or do you direct others to handle it? Give an example.
Think about a specific moment where you had a choice to lead by doing versus lead by telling.
Two teammates are in conflict and it's affecting the team's chemistry. What do you do?
Walk us through your actual approach — not what you think we want to hear.
A teammate is clearly not giving full effort in training. How do you handle it?
Consider: do you say something? When? How? What if they push back?
How comfortable are you holding teammates accountable — including your friends?
Rate yourself honestly.
Not at all
Very comfortable
04
Adversity & Pressure
The team is on a three-game losing streak and morale is low. What do you do?
Think about before training, during the match, and in the locker room after.
Tell us about a time you personally struggled or failed and how you responded.
This can be in soccer or in life. Vulnerability here shows strength, not weakness.
A coach makes a decision you disagree with. How do you handle it — privately and in front of the team?
05
Team & Culture
What are the biggest strengths of this team right now?
What does this team need to improve the most — and what role would you play in making that happen?
What kind of team culture do you want to build or protect this season?
Be specific about values, standards, and behaviors — not just "winning" or "having fun."
How do you treat players who are not in the starting lineup?
Bench players often determine the culture of a team. How do you think about your role with them?
06
Self-Awareness
What is your biggest weakness as a potential captain?
Everyone has one. Players who say "none" or give a fake weakness don't get far in this process.
How do you respond when you receive critical feedback about your own performance or behavior?
How would your teammates describe your leadership right now — honestly?
Not how you hope they see you. How do you think they actually see you?
07
Final Thoughts
Is there anything else you want us to know about why you should be considered for captain?
Optional — use this space if something wasn't covered above.

Your responses will be reviewed by the coaching staff. Take your time — this matters.

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Submissions Closed

The captain questionnaire is no longer accepting responses. Please reach out to Coach Wray directly if you have questions.

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Submitted

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