We Don't Need Another Hero: Hollywood representations of captains in team sport

Abstract

Images of team captains often define the notion of leadership in sport, and Hollywood films frequently serve to reinforce athletic leadership stereotypes, roles, and behaviours. In this critical research bricolage, I seek to reveal possible injustices surrounding peer leadership in terms of the power dynamics that exist between captains and non-captains. I explore what messages are conveyed through captaining as a sport leadership practice and how dominant ideology is maintained through popular film representations of captains.