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Captain’s Pick Draft

Captain’s Pick brings the excitement of traditional team selection to the digital age. Team captains take turns drafting participants, creating an engaging, competitive experience perfect for sports, gaming, or any event where you want maximum participation.

Best for: Groups of 4-256 participants, competitive events, building team spirit and excitement. Works well with 2-50 teams.

How Captain’s Pick Works

  1. Team captains are assigned (automatically or manually)
  2. Captains take turns selecting participants for their teams
  3. Timers enforce pace to keep the draft moving
  4. Picking order rotates based on your chosen strategy
  5. Draft completes when all participants are assigned

Setting Up Captain’s Pick

Configure Basic Settings

  1. Create a draft with type “Captain’s Pick”
  2. Set team size and number of teams
  3. Configure team names and participant limits

Set Up Captain Selection

  1. Go to Teams tab > “Setup Captain Pick”
  2. Click “Auto-Pick Captains” to randomly assign eligible users as captains
  3. Review and confirm the captain assignments

Configure Picking Mechanics

Choose your picking strategy:

Picking Order determines the sequence captains draft in:

  • Sequential: 1→2→3→4 (standard order)
  • Random: Shuffled order each round
  • Reverse Sequential: 4→3→2→1 (last to first)

Captain Eligibility

Important: Only participants with user accounts can be captains. Create placeholder participants for those without accounts.

  • Must be real users (not placeholders)
  • Captains become team leaders automatically

Timer Behavior: When a captain’s timer expires, the system automatically selects a random available participant. There’s a 3-second grace period after expiration to prevent premature auto-selection.

Running the Draft

Pre-Draft Phase

  • Ensure all captains are assigned
  • Participants should be ready and online
  • Test timers and settings

During the Draft

  1. Start the draft from the progress section
  2. Current captain sees available participants
  3. Timer counts down for their pick
  4. Selection made via participant selection dialog
  5. Next captain’s turn begins automatically

Captain Interface

Captains can:

  • View all undrafted participants
  • Filter by labels or search
  • See team rosters in real-time
  • Use chat to communicate strategy

Advanced Features

Pick Management

  • Undo picks: Editors can reverse recent selections
  • Skip turns: Jump to specific pick numbers
  • Pause/Resume: Handle breaks or technical issues
  • Reset draft: Start over completely

Real-Time Controls

  • Timer management: Restart, pause, or extend timers
  • Pick preview: See the upcoming picking order
  • Live updates: All changes sync instantly

Picking Strategies

Sequential Order

Round 1: Team A → Team B → Team C → Team D
Round 2: Team A → Team B → Team C → Team D

Best for: Fair, predictable drafting

Snake Style

Round 1: Team A → Team B → Team C → Team D
Round 2: Team D → Team C → Team B → Team A
Round 3: Team A → Team B → Team C → Team D

Best for: Balanced team building, prevents early advantages

Random Order

Round 1: Team C → Team A → Team D → Team B
Round 2: Team B → Team D → Team A → Team C

Best for: Unpredictable, exciting drafts

Timer Strategies

Fast-Paced (10-30 seconds)

  • Keeps energy high
  • Prevents overthinking
  • Best for experienced groups

Moderate (30-60 seconds)

  • Allows strategic thinking
  • Good for most events
  • Default setting

Relaxed (60-120 seconds)

  • Better for complex decisions
  • Suitable for large participant pools
  • Reduces pressure

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Timer Problems

  • Expired picks: Auto-assigns random participant after 3-second grace period
  • Network issues: Use manual pick override or pause/resume draft
  • Participant offline: Skip turn or wait for reconnection
  • Timer too fast/slow: Editors can adjust time limits during draft

Captain Issues

  • Captain unavailable: Reassign captain role
  • Wrong captain assigned: Update team captain
  • Multiple captains needed: Assign co-captains

Draft Flow Issues

  • Wrong pick order: Reset and reconfigure
  • Participants missing: Add placeholders or wait
  • Technical glitches: Pause and resume draft

Best Practices

Pro Tip: For optimal engagement, use Snake Style with 30-second timers and 4-6 teams.

Preparation

  • Test the draft with a small group first
  • Have backup captains ready
  • Ensure good internet for all participants

During Draft

  • Monitor chat for technical issues
  • Be ready to intervene as editor
  • Keep the energy positive

After Draft

  • Review team compositions
  • Gather feedback for improvements
  • Document what worked well

Captain’s Pick transforms team formation from a chore into an exciting event. The competitive element engages participants while ensuring fair, strategic team building.

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