Captains, Coaches Learn Leadership at Yogi Berra Museum and Learning Center

TheVarsity Team Captains and Coaches attended a special training workshop on sportsmanship and leadership at the Yogi Berra Museum and Learning Center in Little Falls.

Montclair State University professors John McCarthy and Dr. Rob Gilbert, who also founded the Yogi Berra Museum’s Coaching Institute, made a presentation to coaches and captains about improving communications, playing against the game and hosting a winning practice. They also talked to the students about sportsmanship, competing with character, becoming the best teammate, leadership, preventing hazing and creating and maintain individual team and school sports traditions. Before the program, the students toured the renovated Museum.

At the end of the presentation, they also got the chance to meet and have their photograph taken with Yankee great Yogi Berra.

“I think the workshop was really inspiring,” said Dora Kikianis, the girls’ volleyball team captain. “I feel like it relates to everything happening on my team.”

“I learned the importance of energizing a team,” said Herminio “Jet” Navia, the cross-country captain. “Your energy will spread throughout the team and increase their drive to succeed.”

The students learned that team captains need to think of their teammates before themselves, observed Shannon White, the captain of the girls’ soccer team. “It is more important to help other people on my team when they are not playing well instead of worrying about myself,” Shannon said. ”I have learned how to act when things don’t go my way.”

Varsity Field Hockey and Girls’ Lacrosse Coach Jill Cosse said she thought the program was educational for the student athletes. “The speakers were great,” she said. “I think it is really important for kids to see the need to be selfless.”

The college professors told the students that one team could be better than the other, but all that matters “is the team that plays the best that day.”

Professor John McCarthy told students that they should give their best effort at every practice and approach every practice like a game. “The kids who practice the hardest play the hardest games,” he said.

Team captains also need to motivate team members. Some teams are undefeated but the kids can’t wait for the season to be over so they can get away from each other, McCarthy said. Other teams win half their games, “but they cry when the season is over because are not going to play together anymore.”

In basketball, McCarthy told the captains they “don’t play against an opponent.” “You play against the game.”

Dan Mendoza, the captain of the Montclair State University Men’s Soccer Team, talked to students about his experiences as a soccer player and captain. Mendoza has scored 11 goals so far this season and left a Division 1 team for Montclair State’s Division III team, he said

When Mendoza was a freshman at Divison I Loyola College, he sat on the bench and did not play, he said. Then he transferred to Montclair State and is having a great experience, he said. “When I came here, I fit in,” he said. “The team was very helpful and pushed me. They made me want to play hard and be a part of the team.”

Mendoza also advised students on their college search. “Do not go looking for the best school,” he said. “Go looking for the best school for you.”

The captain also gave the students some suggestions about being a team captain. He told them that when you are a captain and you have a bad day you still need to “keep your head high and keep working hard.” “Being a captain is a lot of responsibility,” Mendoza said. “You need to be a good role model for your team mates. You have to realize you are part of a family and you need to work together.”

Professor Gilbert talked to students about the selection of the captain who should not necessarily be the best player on the team, but rather the best player “for the team.”

“The captain makes everyone on the team feel included,” he said.

Berra also talked to students about some of his experiences in life including his admiration for fellow Yankee Joe DiMaggio. “He was the best centerfielder I ever saw,” Berra said. “You see how guys slide for balls in the field? Joe DiMaggio never slid for a ball in his life. He caught every one.”

The workshop costs about $1,000, but Investor’s Bank provided the Museum with a grant to cover the expenses of the program for West Essex as well as some other Essex County high school teams, according to Museum Director David Kaplan. The director said he hopes the program helps eliminate hazing on sports teams and improves the sports team experience for young athletes. For information on the Museum or the program, visit www.YogiBerraMuseum.org or call 973-655-6891.

For more information, please contact Allison Freeman, Manager of Communications and Community Outreach, at (973) 228-1200 ext. 101 or by email at afreeman@westex.org.