As a vocal and knowledgeable leader, Andover Boys Basketball Captain Colby Duggan ’23 demands active communication from both himself and his teammates.
In only his second season on Andover’s team, Duggan brings wisdom and experience from his three years playing for Monson High School. Through transparent communication, Duggan hopes to build stronger relationships with his teammates.
“My main job as a captain is to relay coaches’ messages onto the players in a way that might connect deeper with them… It’s just having a good relationship with the players,” said Duggan.
Christopher Rey ’23 believes Duggan is reflective of his efforts to be approachable and trustworthy. According to Rey, Duggan remains engaged with his teammates and coaches, answering questions and passing on important information.
“[We value] his ability to lead not only on the basketball court as one of our better players, as one of our best players, but also, just his ability to use his knowledge as a captain, and someone who has been playing basketball for a long time. If a younger player, a player who hasn’t been on varsity for as long, doesn’t know something or has a question, he is able to answer that. He is the perfect bridge between some of the other players and [Coach Ivory],” said Rey.
Davian McDonald ’25 emphasized Duggan’s leadership through example. Often demonstrating drills and plays, Duggan also brings commitment and persistence to the team.
“I think Colby does a really great job of leading by example and showing everyone what we need to do rather than just telling us. If there are any drills or something that we need a volunteer to show us what we need to do, Colby is that guy. Everyone just looks up to him since he’s our captain, and he’s the guy to look to when we need motivation,” said McDonald.
Rey shared a similar sentiment to McDonald, highlighting Duggan’s work ethic. According to Rey, Duggan always puts in his all on the court.
“When you see your captain diving on the floor or battling for a rebound, or in general just working harder than everyone else on the court…you are also going to want to do that. He leads by example really well. He’s always working hard when he’s on the court,” said Rey.
Duggan prioritizes taking responsibility for his actions on the court. In addition to cultivating a bonded team, Duggan hopes to hold his teammates accountable in order to promote growth.
“Just spending as much time with [the team] as possible. We eat together. We’re always around each other and kind of just keeping the culture tight. Also, I think probably taking responsibility because if you’re able to take responsibility for your actions then it helps everyone grow,” said Duggan.
Duggan is never afraid to speak out for the team, ensuring that feedback is communicated clearly, according to Rey. When coaches are not present, Duggan talks to teammates about ways in which they can improve.
“Before and after every practice and before or after every game, he is usually one of the players that gets up and talks. Most of the time, it’s not even the coaching staff involved It’s just the team. The coaching staff will go off and talk about what we need to do in practice or the game… But he is always saying something that bridges the gap between what [Coach Ivory] said, and making sure us as players understand it every time,” Rey said.
Duggan will continue his athletic and academic career at Campbell University next year.
