According to Park’s leadership development consultant Kevin King, offseason captains’ trainings differ from in season trainings in that offseason is more laid back.

“For the fall offseason training, the biggest difference is that it is a lot more relaxed,” King said. “ When we do it during the season, you kind of have that sense of urgency because you have eight sessions and it might take four sessions to get everybody up and going and then before you know it the season is over.”

King said these trainings have given the fall captains the very basics of leadership to head into their seasons with.

“(We) really focus on those core values and those acceptable and unacceptable behaviors, give them a baseline understanding of leadership and language as well, and then they can go into their seasons with a little bit more structure in place,” King said.

Athletic Director Andy Ewald said he finds these offseason trainings valuable because it allowed the fall captains to set standards in place for their season and begin a dialogue with others they will be working with during the season.

“(The trainings) give them the entire offseason to be able to, with their fellow teammates (and) with their coaches, talk about what those standards are, come to some sort of agreement, and start implementing and communicating what those standards are,” Ewald said.

Sophomore Aaron Ellingson, a first time football captain, said the trainings have helped changed his mentality to become more of a leader for the team.

“I though it has helped prepare a lot, it is kind of focusing on what I can do to better the team and not just my skills for myself individually,” Ellingson said. “At the end of the day football is a team sport and we have to have everyone on board.”