Leadership in sports

As I mentioned in one of my very first blog entries, I am posting on this blog for my argumentative writing class. For our final paper in the semester, we have been asked to write about what defines a leader in the 21st Century. If you're thinking, "wow, that would be difficult to define in just one paper," you are definitely right. Defining what makes a good leader is an extremely difficult task, but I have decided to narrow my focus down and define what it means to be a good leader in sports.

I am on the Women's swim team at the University of Michigan, and I have a strong interest in sports, specifically swimming of course. I think it is important to look into the leadership within sports because many people play, watch, or take some sort of interest in sports. But the importance of leadership in sports? Think about it, without leadership within, sports teams would have a difficult time succeeding. But what makes a good leader? This is what I am trying to uncover in my final paper for class, but for this blog entry, I thought it would be a good idea to give an example of someone who I believe displays good leadership by naming the characteristics she possesses. (Of course this will only be a brief summary of what it means to be a good leader in sports in the 21st Century, but I think it's enough to get the ball rolling and get you thinking about how truly important a leader's role is).


As I said before, I am a member of the Women's Swim Team at U of M, and I frequently visit our "MGoBlue" website page that presents articles, gives stats, and displays the roster and pictures. A few weeks ago, something was written about Margaret Kelly, another swimmer on my team. The article can be found at: http://www.mgoblue.com/swimming-diving-w/article.aspx?id=153548 and states:


Junior Margaret Kelly (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer) has continued to improve on last season's breakout campaign. So far, Kelly has finished in the top two in six of the eight races that she has competed in this season. Kelly has picked up a team-leading four individual wins this season in the pool and has never finished lower than fourth. The Ann Arbor native holds the top time in six different individual events for the Wolverines this season.


The article's heading reads, "Kelly Leading the Way." Although it is true, Margaret is indeed scoring numerous points for our team, I believe she is leading the way in more ways than that. Margaret displays excellent team leadership. There is no write-up about this, so you will have to trust me, when I explain through personal experience, the qualities Margaret possesses. The main reason I think Margaret is a good leader is through the characteristics she demonstrates within the way that she leads by example. Although she is not that vocal of a leader, she conducts herself in a way that allows others on the team to look up to her. She is an extremely hard-worker; giving her all every second she is in the pool (yes, the whole 2 hour morning practice and 2 hour evening practice). She also controls her emotions well, allowing others only to see her positive attitude, which does not bring anyone down, but rather lifts up those around her.


These are just a few characteristics Margaret displays in her leadership in swimming, and I guess the point I am trying to make is that it is important to contribute leadership to the team, not only points. By contributing leadership, you inspire those around you, not only yourself, and the team has a better chance of success. In relating this to the readings I have done for my argumentative writing class, it is clear that Margaret does not demonstrate the type of leadership Machiavelli, a diplomat in the 16th Century, described. He believed a leader should have complete power (Machiavelli, 46). Margaret clearly does not have complete power over others, as she strives only to set a good example while completing her goals and the team's goals. In fact, she takes more of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, a philosopher in the 18th Century approach to leadership. He believed no man should have authority over others (Rousseau, 60). Margaret has no authority, no power over her teammates, but specifically leads in ways that do not involve manipulation or ways that make her seem overbearing.