GoHeels Exclusive: Tribal Competition Boosts Camaraderie & Competition

by Pat James, GoHeels.com

CHAPEL HILL—At 7:45 a.m. on January 8, just a few hours before its first spring semester practice, the University of North Carolina men's lacrosse team gathered inside its meeting and film room at the Loudermilk Center for Excellence.

The nearly hour-long meeting marked the team's first since winter break had ended. Appearances by four speakers, including head athletic trainer Nina Walker and sports dietitian Rachel Manor, highlighted the agenda. Head coach Joe Breschi also addressed the team.

All the while, stationed in a corner of the room, a whiteboard loomed, the numbers 1-7 already written on it. Point totals were also listed, representing the final results of the program's sixth annual tribal competition, a series of activities players participate in throughout the fall semester.

The last category tribes earned points for was academics. So with grade point averages calculated and all the points assigned, the winning tribe could finally be announced during the meeting.

That moment arrived about midway through the meeting. Breschi walked to the whiteboard and, working from last to first, wrote the names of each tribe beside their point total. With each stroke of the black dry-erase marker, anticipation built.

When only two tribes, Mohawk and Wichita, remained, Breschi added to the suspense by slowly drawing a single vertical line beside first place. That eventually became a "W," and the seven members of the Wichita tribe sprung up from their seats and celebrated, high-fiving one another.

Their jubilation hinted at the excitement that's built around the event. Originally designed to strengthen camaraderie and provide a change of pace during fall lacrosse, Breschi said players place more of an emphasis each year on winning the competition – and claiming the reward of a steak dinner at Breschi's house.

"I think the coolest part about it is, it's one of those things that has an ending and has a purpose," Breschi said. "It's competitive. You want competitive people in your program, and they compete in everything we do. So it keeps that competitive fire going. But at the same time, it's fun and it's different."

The competition begins during the first week of school. Seniors draft the tribes, which Breschi said the teams are called, since Native Americans invented lacrosse.

The tribes traditionally remain the same throughout the semester. But in 2015 and 2016, Breschi said a redraft was held every few weeks and tribes could only protect five members. The rest could then be drafted by other tribes.

Joining the tribes, Breschi said, allows freshmen to develop chemistry with their older teammates and learn how to handle adversity and success.

"Our motto is family, academics, lacrosse," Breschi said. "And what's better from a family perspective than a young group of freshmen coming into these tribal families and competing with one another in these different events."

One of those is the academic piece of the competition – which tribes earn points for based on tribal GPA and having players with at least a 3.0 GPA or the highest GPA in their class. This year, other activities included "Mile Monday" runs, voluntary community service hours, table tennis and billiards tournaments, tug-of-war, "Basketball Thursdays" and a dance-off.

But perhaps the most memorable event was the annual cook-off.

Each year, the seniors determine prior to the cook-off whether the dish they'll make will be an appetizer, entree or dessert. Breschi then designates a specific ingredient that must be used. The tribes bring their creation to the cook-off, where Breschi's four daughters judge it on the criteria of creativity, presentation and taste.

"The guys love it, they look forward to it, they take their time with it," Breschi said. "They're calling their parents, their grandparents, their girlfriends, trying to figure out the right recipe. 'Oh, what's the killer dessert that would just knock the socks off the judges?'"

Dessert was the course selected this year, and Breschi picked pretzels as the mandatory ingredient. Because the cook-off was held in December, he also required that the dishes were Christmas-themed.

One tribe made, as Breschi called it, a "chocolate chip, cookie dough, pretzel shake that the kids loved." The item was served on plates that featured laser-engraved snowflakes and the names of Breschi's daughters.

"I thought it was very well done," Breschi said. "They won both presentation and creativity just with what they brought to the table, and then there were so many other variations of what they tossed out there."

Yet only one tribe could be crowned the champion.

The members of the Wichita tribe edged Mohawk, 1,490-1,447. And later this month, they'll gather at Breschi's house for a victory meal, one consisting of buffalo chicken dip and baked potatoes and filets.

"They just eat to their hearts' content," Breschi said. "But it must be worth it because they put so much time into being the tribal winner."

GoHeels Exclusive: Tribal Competition Boosts Camaraderie & Competition

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