Coming back for his second year in the Pink and Blue, we took a minute to sit down with Forward Madison captain Mitch Osmond to talk about his leadership and the 2023 season.
Define what being a captain means to you.
Mitch Osmond (MO)
When I think of the captaincy and how I try to approach each day, it’s to lead by example. I try to be available for the team, not just in soccer related things but also their personal lives. I try to be a bridge between the playing group and the coaching staff or the club and even a reference point for the fans. It’s a lot of responsibility, but it’s something that I really enjoy.
What and who were some formative experiences or people in your younger career that helped shape the leader you are today?
MO
By my nature, I’m a pretty outgoing guy, pretty vocal. I think that’s also the culture in Australia, to be vocal. It’s kind of ingrained in players very early on. I wouldn’t say that I had necessarily experiences with one particular captain or coach that led me to the style of leadership that I have now. I kind of fell into it in a sense. It’s just a natural progression for me as a player.
The squad this year is full of youthful energy. What’s it like to be around that in the locker room?
MO
The team culture is so positive this year. Everybody is embracing everyone’s differences. It’s everyone participating in it too, everyone. Each player has some input on what’s going on and I think it just makes for such a better connection on the field, where we can lift each other and help each other bring out our qualities.
You could see a lot of that cohesion and full participation after Chaney scored in Omaha.
MO
The best way I can describe this group is together. It’s something that the coaching staff and the returning players have really focused on. Trying to facilitate a group that can be that way. It’s just a really good atmosphere this year, one of the best that I’ve been involved in to be honest.
How do you prepare the new players for what a Forward Madison home match is like?
MO
There’s there’s a few guys coming from other League One teams, so they’ve experienced the atmosphere already from the other side, and I think they’re just excited to be on our side this year. So, going into the Home Opener, it’s just about preparing the new guys for how important this club is to the community. There’s going to be tons of people out there, they’re going to be singing and they want to see results. I think that the pressure is a good thing for us. We should have pressure to win games, we should have pressure from the fans to see good performances. I want to kind of drive that point with this group that it matters how we perform on a Saturday and take that pressure and use it positively.
You mentioned how much this club means to the community. What does giving back to the fans mean to you?
MO
I mean, the club belongs to the fans. I think we have a responsibility as players to also go along with what the expectations are of the club and that is a big piece of it. The fans want to see guys involved in the community. They want to see guys giving back, helping out when and whenever we can and the club does a good job helping put us in those opportunities.
Lastly, your family is here during the season with you in Madison. How meaningful is it to have them share your journey with you in-person?
MO
It’s any father’s dream, especially in my profession, to play in front of their kids and their family. It’s a blessing every single time I get that opportunity because it runs out, you know, and there’s gonna be a day where I’m not doing this anymore. I want them to grow up with this unique experience. It’s unique for us as players, but my family also gets to experience the unique atmosphere of Madison as well. My kids are going to remember this time, they’re old enough that they’re going to remember it and that’s the best thing in the world.
