In his fourth year on the team, Boys Soccer Co-Captain Spencer Madge ’25 has formed his unique leadership style by taking inspiration from the line of Co-Captains before him and playing to his own strengths. Through his experience and commitment to the game, Madge sets a high standard for the rest of the team.
Madge shared how his leadership style has been heavily influenced by past teammates. Specifically, he has tried to replicate the leadership of Zane Matraji ’24, Co-Captain last year, by being a positive presence in practices and games, and providing motivational speeches.
Madge said, “Zane Matraji from last year, I was pretty close with him, so I would talk with him a lot. [I heard what] he had to say about being Captain and what he did. There was a lot of nonverbal stuff and just seeing how [the 2023-2024 Captains] acted in practice, how they acted in games, the speeches they gave. I saw that they were always leading by example, so that was a big thing that I am trying to keep as part of [the team] culture.”
Matteo Damian ’28 commented on Madge’s impressive work ethic. He emphasized Madge’s willingness to give his full effort in games and practice, driving the team to perform to the best of its ability.
“He tries to be perfect in everything he does, which is really good for setting an example. Me and other kids on the team have all taken that to heart and really pushed ourselves to achieve the standard that he demands and the other Captains and [Head] Coach [Joe Donnelly] demands,” said Damian.
He continued, “His work ethic is probably 110 percent in scrimmages, shooting drills, and even things like passing. He’s always challenging himself, passing really hard or sprinting and doing the most he can do. Whatever he does is 100 percent or more.”
Kai Myles ’27 shared how Madge’s leadership is evident in his punctuality on and off the field. He noted that whether it’s a meal or a game, Madge shows up prepared, holding the rest of his teammates to the same level.
Myles said, “Off the field, whenever it comes to team dinners, team lunches, team brunches, team breakfasts, he’s always the one to organize it. He was always the one to have that final say, that final decision in everything. He would always make sure he’s there on time. He’s always holding people accountable for being here on time, on the pitch on time, being ready to go, being ready to play.”
Myles continued, “He doesn’t engage in any hypocrisy. He definitely leads by example.”
Madge described his style of play as unique to his teammates, with his strength being passing. He acknowledged that his teammates possess other strengths — such as defense, scoring, and strength – and noted the importance of a diverse range of abilities.
“Passing is probably the strongest part of my game. [That differs] from some of my teammates. For some of my teammates, their best attributes are scoring, their speed, their dribbling, or their strength and defense. But in a way, it’s good that we all have different strengths because that means our strengths can complement each other,” said Madge.
Myles praised Madge’s ability to take on many roles as Co-Captain. Myles noted Madge’s balance between being able to focus at the right times, while also creating a lighthearted environment through humor.
“He’s the Captain who has been here for the longest. He’s been here for four years and he’s had the most experience with different teams and how different ups and downs affect the different teams… He knows how to keep the team together. He knows what to do in the right moments: whether to have some fun, have a little joking, or whether it’s time to get serious, or [if] there’s time for [the team] to encourage somebody to step up. He provides that mature figure we need on the team or one of the many mature figures we need in the team that has helped us throughout the season,” said Myles.
Madge is committed to playing soccer at Carnegie Mellon University.
