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INSIDE THE G AME


Christa Dietzen’s guide to being a great captain


The two-time Olympic medalist, who was the captains of USA’s bronze-medal team in Rio, shares tips on how you can be an effective leader among your teammates


CHRISTA DIETZEN HAS BEEN A CAPTAIN – and a very good one – at every level of her impressive volleyball career. First was in her hometown at Hopewell High School in Penn- sylvania, where she was the state’s Gatorade High School Player of the Year in 2004. Next was at Penn State, where she won two NCAA championships. Most recently, the 6-2 middle from


Hopewell Township, Pennsylvania, has been a captain for a U.S. Women’s National Team that became the first in the program’s history to win a major tournament (2014 FIVB World Championship) and also the first to win a medal at each of the three majors in a single quadrennial: World Championship (gold), World Cup (bronze), Olympics (bronze). Her most recent coach, Karch Kiraly of the


U.S. Women’s National Team, will tell you that Dietzen is the complete package as a captain. “We’ve been fortunate to have had some- body of Christa’s high character involved with this program for eight years,” Kiraly says. “It’s never a bad thing when a teammate earns the nickname ‘Mom’ from her female teammates. It means she’s looking out for them and notices if something is awry and checks in to make sure people are doing all right. And it means she’s a servant leader just as moms have to be – a person who’s always there and always making sure that things are OK. And if things aren’t OK, she’s looking to help that person find ways to make things better. That’s one of Christa’s many strengths.” Hours after the disappointing Olympic semifinal loss to Serbia in Rio, Dietzen re- minded her teammates that what defines them is not the color of their medal but, rather, the relationships they’ve developed and the positive culture they’ve built. In the spirit of that message, VolleyballUSA


asked Dietzen to share advice for players who will be filling the captain’s role this season or at some point in the future. Here are nine tips she came up with:


26 | VOLLEYBALLUSA • Digital Issue at usavolleyball.org/mag


Find your strength as a leader There are many ways to lead and many dif-


ferent kinds of leaders. You don’t need to lead the same way as someone else does. Be yourself. But also be sure to work on areas of leader- ship that don’t come naturally. For instance, your coach may ask you to be more vocal or tell you that the team needs more energy from you. Those may not be your top strengths, but as captain, your priority is what’s best for the team. If being more vocal and bringing more energy will help, step up to the challenge.


Take younger players under your wing


If you’re a sophomore, junior or senior in high school or college, get to know the fresh- men. I remember going out for pizza with the freshmen when I was a sophomore at Penn State. Sharing a meal with younger players is a great way to begin building a strong relation- ship. It takes away the hierarchy, opens lines of communication and helps build trust.


Lead by example When you’re the captain, more eyes are on


you. The younger players are going to look up to you and seek you out for guidance. So, ob- viously, it’s important to set a good example. Be aware of how you handle yourself on the court, what you put on social media, what you say to the press. You’re under a different microscope. Don’t be afraid of it. Just be sure that you are a good role model so you can help others and be a good representative for your team, your school, your hometown and your family. And remember, you can’t hold others accountable if you aren’t accountable for your own actions.


Take care of yourself You can’t take care of others if you don’t


take care of yourself. Captains need mentors


too, so you should have people you can go to for advice who are outside the coaching staff. Find someone you look up to – maybe a former player or teammate who has been through similar experiences. It’s important for you to know that you’re not alone and have someone outside the coaching staff who you can bounce ideas off of.


Get comfortable having


uncomfortable conversations This was an area I needed to work on. My whole life, I’ve gravitated more toward being the teacher’s pet, and I would often side with the coaches. As captain, you’re the liaison be- tween your teammates and the coaches, so you


by Don Patterson Photo: Don Liebig


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