The Levels of Leadership; and How To Reach Them

Cosette Abeyta
Sep 12, 2025
3 min read

No matter where you are starting it is never too early, or too late to become a leader on your sports team. There can never be too many players sharing uplifting energy and being positive examples to their teammates.

In sports, leadership is often reduced to a title, team captain, starter, "MVP"...but real leadership goes far deeper than what’s stitched onto a jersey, it’s built over time, tested under pressure, and often seen in athletes who don’t say much, but whose actions change everything.

Today we are going to break down five levels of leadership that any athlete can climb to, no matter their role, age, or experience. Leadership isn’t about waiting for permission, it’s about how you show up every day.

Level 1: Lead Yourself

This is where it all starts. You take responsibility for your training, your attitude, your preparation. You show up early, you do the extra reps. You don’t wait for someone else to push you.

Athletes at this level don’t make excuses, they build trust by being consistent, focused, and coachable. This isn’t glamorous, but it’s the foundation everything else is built on.

Key Habit: Keep your word. If you say you’ll do it, do it, especially when no one is watching.

Level 2: Lead Through Energy

Every team has days where the energy is low. The weather is bad. Practice is dragging. This is where you can lead, without saying a word, just by how you carry yourself.

Your body language, how you attack drills, how you respond to mistakes. These all send a message. Athletes who lead through energy raise the standard by refusing to coast.

Key Habit: Be the thermostat, not the thermometer, set the tone instead of reacting to it.

Level 3: Lead One

Leadership doesn’t mean leading everyone at once. It can start with just one person. A quiet check-in after a tough practice. A word of encouragement to a teammate on the fringe. A shared rep with someone who’s struggling.

This level is where relational leadership is born. It's about being aware, paying attention, and choosing to make someone else better.

Key Habit: Notice who’s being left out, and pull them in.

Level 4: Lead the Standard

This is where leadership becomes contagious, you don’t just meet the standard, you protect it and reinforce it. You hold teammates accountable when things slip, not by yelling, but by confronting with clarity and respect.

You set the tone in the weight room, in the locker room, on the bus. You understand that talent can win games, but standards win seasons.

Key Habit: Say the hard thing when it needs to be said, and live it first yourself.

Level 5: Lead Beyond the Game

The highest level of leadership extends off the field. It’s how you act in the classroom, with younger players, in your community. It’s understanding that your influence isn’t just about sports, it’s about who you are when the jersey comes off.

Athletes at this level think long-term, they ask bigger questions, they lead with purpose, and they elevate everyone around them.

Key Habit: Make decisions with your future and someone else’s, in mind.

Final Thought

Not everyone will be a captain. Not everyone will score the winning goal. But every athlete can lead.

Start where you are. Lead yourself well. And don’t wait to be given a role before you step into responsibility.

Leadership is not a title. It’s a daily choice.