Typically I am not a fan of having formal team captains. While the idea of team captains and leaders is valid, I don't think the process often concludes with the naming of the strongest leaders but rather, the more popular people on the team. However, over the past several years I have begun to change my stance on the issue, at least with this program. After my first few years with the MSU club team we had more drama surrounding the captains vote than filling those positions was worth. In fact, I think it was in my second year as head coach when I almost resigned the position due to the problems surrounding the voting of captains. It wasn't the captains that were chosen, but rather how their teammates handled the situation that almost drove me away.

So, each year I am very skeptical about having the team vote for captains. Last year, our captains were named by me at the end of the previous year, and with them all being seniors the issue came up again this year. I decided we would try the voting process again this year. We altered the process slightly though and did not vote until after our second weekend of games. I thought that allowing the new players to get more comfortable with everyone and spend some time getting to know each of their other teammates might allow for a much more thoughtful vote. I also felt that we had several girls who would make strong captains and that each deserved the chance to show their leadership ability for the first few weeks. It also allowed me the time to talk about what the expectations are for our captains, and what I feel makes a good captain.

I was very impressed with the vote. First and foremost, I was impressed that we had seven different players receive multiple votes, and that each player receiving votes was someone I would have been happy to name as captain. In the end, three girls were named captain and we have left room for a fourth to be added at some point during the season.

Meg Galea will be our speaking captain. Meg is a junior centerback who helped us to our first National Championship as an outside back in 2012. Meg is also a "legacy", coming in a few years after her sister and former captain Liz Galea helped to elevate the program to the point it is today. Meg received a vote from 2/3 of the team.

Seniors Michelle Mirasol and Mackenzie Fleischer have also been named captains. Both received 50% of the teams votes. Michelle is a senior forward/midfielder and Mackenzie is a senior forward. Both players were part of the National Championship team and have shown a strong passion for our program and the desire to help take the team back for a title defense (we are still the reigning National Champion by the way!)

I look forward to working with these three in shaping this years team as well as setting a precedence for the standard we will hold all future captains to.