There's a moment every Pathfinder remembers: the counselor calls for silence, announces the vote, and minutes later the unit has a new captain. Not an adult. Not the director. A young person aged 10 to 15 — maybe you — holding the unit flag and answering for the whole team. In this guide, you'll learn what the unit captain and secretary really do, how the election works, and how to prepare for your first leadership role.
What Is the Unit Captain?
First, the basics: in the Pathfinder Club, no one gets lost in the crowd. Every club is divided into units — teams of 6 to 8 Pathfinders of similar age, each with its own name, war cry, and unit flag. This is the well-known unit system, which the official manual calls the main core of how the club runs.
The captain is the Pathfinder chosen by the unit itself to lead that team. According to the Pathfinder Club Administrative Manual of the South American Division (SAD), the captain is a member aged 10 to 15 elected to encourage the group to complete the program successfully — leading by personal example and influence, inspiring each teammate to do their best.
Think of the captain of a soccer team: not the coach, not the club owner. It's the player who wears the armband, drives the team forward, and talks to the referee. It's the same in the unit: the counselor — the more experienced leader who oversees the team — guides from outside, but the captain represents and energizes the group from within.
How Is the Captain Elected?
The choice isn't a raffle or the director's pick. The SAD Administrative Manual is clear: the captain must be elected at the first meeting of the year, by a vote of every unit member, in an election run by the counselor. In other words, the team itself decides.
The term ranges from 3 months to 1 year, depending on the period approved by the club's Executive Committee (the "board" that runs everything). Many clubs prefer shorter terms specifically so more Pathfinders get the chance to lead over the course of the year — worth checking how it works at yours.
During all club activities, the captain wears a badge on the uniform marking the role. It's small, but it carries weight: everyone knows who answers for the unit.
What Does the Captain Actually Do?
The Administrative Manual lists four official duties. The first: assist the counselors and look after the unit when needed — in the absence of the counselor and assistant counselor, the captain takes charge of the team.
The second is the most visible: carry and hold the unit flag correctly — that small triangular pennant bearing the team's name and symbol. The flag should always be at the front of the unit: during drill, in the parade, and at camp, planted in front of the tent. Making sure it's never left lying around or dirty is the captain's responsibility.
The other two: being responsible for the unit's attendance whenever it's called for — no one better than the captain, friend to everyone, to push for punctuality — and presenting the unit to the director at the start of meetings, that solemn moment when each team reports in formation.
Read alsoPathfinder Club PositionsAnd What Does the Unit Secretary Do?
The secretary is the unit's second-in-command — the "vice-captain," if you like. Also chosen by teammates at the first meeting of the year, by a vote run by the counselor, also serving a term of 3 months to 1 year, and also wearing a role badge. When the captain is absent, the secretary takes over the team's responsibilities.
Day to day, the secretary is the keeper of records. It's the secretary who fills out the Unit Corner card — the weekly evaluation of each Pathfinder (attendance, punctuality, uniform), done during the part of the meeting when each unit gathers separately with its counselor. The manual asks for something difficult and valuable: honesty in the marks, even when the person being evaluated is your best friend.
The secretary also acts as messenger between the unit and the director when the counselor requests it, and helps keep the unit folder up to date — the file holding cards, activity reports, and certificates that tell the team's story.
Who Does What? Captain, Secretary, and the Other Roles
Captain and secretary are the two main roles, but the manual allows the unit to create other positions, as long as the club's Executive Committee approves them. That way, almost everyone carries some responsibility — which is exactly the idea behind the unit system.
These roles apply within the unit. The whole club has its own leadership board — director, assistant directors, secretary, treasurer, and club chaplain — but that's another story: see the full guide to club leadership roles.
| Role | What They Do |
|---|---|
| Captain | Leads the unit by example, carries the unit flag, tracks the group's attendance, and presents the team to the director |
| Secretary | Second-in-command: fills out the Unit Corner card, links with club leadership, and fills in for the captain |
| Treasurer | Collects members' dues and reports to the club treasurer |
| Quartermaster | Looks after the unit's belongings: books, workbooks, and camping tools |
| Recreation coordinator | Organizes games, contests, and challenges at the Unit Corner, together with the counselor |
| First-aid officer | Responsible for the first-aid kit and initial care for members |
| Unit chaplain | Leads the team's spiritual moments and encourages the Bible Year program |
Unit roles according to the Pathfinder Club Administrative Manual (SAD, 2020 ed.), p. 71-76. Captain and secretary are the main roles; the others are up to each unit.
I Was Elected Captain. Now What? (First-Month Checklist)
Won the vote? Take a breath. No one expects you to become a perfect leader overnight — the manual itself puts willingness to learn at the top of the list of qualities. But a few moves in the first few weeks make a huge difference.
Lost the election? That's part of the game. Terms are short and rotate: in a few months there's another election, and whoever shows the right attitude even without a title tends to be remembered at the next vote.
✔ Talk to the counselor: ask what they expect from you and agree on how you'll work together.
✔ Learn to carry the unit flag the right way and find out where it's stored.
✔ Memorize the name (and personality) of every unit member — a leader knows their own team.
✔ Arrive before the scheduled time: attendance and punctuality are literally your job.
✔ Practice presenting the unit to the director until it feels natural.
✔ Work out the division of tasks with the secretary — you're a team, not rivals.
Why Does This Role Matter So Much?
Captain and secretary are the first rung of a leadership ladder the club builds on purpose. The next rung is assistant counselor — an apprentice leader aged 16 or older who helps the unit counselor. After that come counselor, instructor, assistant director, director... Many of today's adult leaders started exactly this way: carrying a unit flag at age 12.
Outside the club, the experience counts too. Organizing a group, speaking in front of everyone during the unit's presentation, mediating conflicts between friends, keeping records up to date — these are skills that show up later at school, in a first job, and in any team project. It's no accident that the official Adventist website sums up unit roles as existing to teach leadership, organization, responsibility, and teamwork.
The great secret of the Unit system is assigning responsibilities to children and teenagers.Pathfinder Club Administrative Manual (SAD)