University of North Carolina Athletics
Turner's Take: Family
May 28, 2016 | Men's Lacrosse, Featured Writers, Turner Walston
by Turner Walston
Sometimes in the press box (or on press row, depending on the sport), the focus is not so much on the game, but the game within the game. If someone is putting on a show, if an athlete is approaching a record performance, a murmur starts. Sportswriters don't give away their rooting interests, but they do root for a story. And when someone does something like what Chris Cloutier did, scoring nine goals in Carolina's 18-13 national semifinal win over Loyola, the score becomes almost secondary; all eyes are on that athlete.
"He's one away."
"He's open."
"He's got the ball."
"Look at that."
"There he goes again."
Cloutier's performance was mind-boggling. Every time the ball was in the pocket of his stick, he got attention from defenders, from spectators, from media members. His nine goals broke a 32 year-old school record, broke the NCAA record for goals in a championship weekend game and tied the NCAA record for goals in a tournament game. His name will now share a line with Gary Gait, one of the most decorated lacrosse players in history, who scored nine in a game for Syracuse in 1988. Naturally, Cloutier was in demand in the postgame press conference.
"Talk about your nine-goal performance."
"Every time you turned around the ball was in the back of the net."
"When you hear your name now linked with the likes of Gary Gait, what crosses your mind?"
Cloutier's performance was remarkable, especially given that he played just two games as a midfielder a year ago. Junior attacker Steve Pontrello, who has 47 goals on the year, played midfielder for three seasons. In the early portion of the 2016 season, the Tar Heels were looking for playmakers that weren't there. Joey Sankey and Jimmy Bitter were the offensive focus for most of their four seasons, but they aren't in that locker room anymore. It took time for the Tar Heels to find their attack, and the 3-3 record reflected that. "Everybody was looking over their shoulder, looking for somebody to make a play," head coach Joe Breschi said, "and some of those guys had graduated."
In the time since, those midfielders-turned-attackers have learned how to attack. The Tar Heels have become a team that shares the ball, that looks for open teammates and doesn't care who's scoring as long as the points keep adding up. "We understand that we are at our best when all six (attackers and midfielders) have to make plays," Breschi said. "And once they figure that out, once the light bulb went on there, it's been a new team."
Cloutier was the one doing much of the scoring Saturday, but he wasn't ready to write his name next to Gary Gait's in the annals of lacrosse history. "I wouldn't put myself in that category, but it's truly an honor," he said. And then he did something that would make Dean Smith proud, something that made his head coach Joe Breschi proud, something that exemplifies the 'Family, Academics, Lacrosse' mantra that Breschi's program has embraced. "I owe everything to these guys," Cloutier said of his teammates. "I was just getting open. I just got really open shots. And it's an honor when I hear things like that."
Time and time again in the ten or so minutes he was on the dais, the player who now holds the record for most goals in a championship weekend game pointed to the passer. "I remember just thinking in the game, 'We're lucky to have Bones.'" he said of Stephen Kelly, Carolina's faceoff specialist, whose work allowed the Tar Heels to win possession and go on a 12-2 run to start the game. "I actually thought this to myself in the game. Faceoffs go the other way, then the game goes completely the other way. He's a huge, huge part of our team."
Cloutier wasn't alone in his praise for his teammates, for his coaches. Freshman midfielder Timmy Kelly sat next to him at the press conference and talked about the culture of Carolina men's lacrosse. "Coach Breschi really just teaches a culture for others. He's not teaching you to be individualistic, which helps," Kelly said. That attitude carries the day on and off the field. Kelly pointed to the leadership of captains Jake Matthai, Austin Pifani, Patrick Kelly and Mark Rizzo. "Those four guys created this culture of, 'you're not a freshman; you're an equal,' which has really benefitted me and (Jack) Rowlett, and it kind of put a lot of confidence on us."
Embracing young teammates and making sure they understand that they are on even ground with the upperclassmen works wonders for team chemistry. Kelly had been asked the question about developing in the Carolina system, but Cloutier didn't let an opportunity pass by.
"Can I add to that?" he said. "I just wanted to mention something." Of course he could. The Kitchener, Ontario native shared a story from the fall of his freshman year. It appeared that he wouldn't be able to make it home for fall break, which was right around the time of Thanksgiving in Canada. "One thing that will always stick with me, and one of the biggest things I love about Coach Breschi was, he immediately invited me to his house for Thanksgiving dinner." In the end, Cloutier was able to go home, but the invitation was what had mattered. "That's just a huge thing to really help out with what's going on."
As Cloutier said that, Breschi sat back in his chair, smiling and nodding. It was working. The 'Family, Academics, Lacrosse' thing was working. The players were getting it. For seven seasons, Breschi's teams have gotten it, adopted the mantra and lived it. But now, for the first time in his seven seasons, 'Family, Academics, Lacrosse' has carried the Tar Heels to the brink of a national championship.
"I'm glad we did it the way we did it," Breschi said, of building a culture and a winning program, one that reached the Final Four this year for the first time since 1993. "It may have taken a little bit longer than I hoped, but it's all about the kids and all about relationships and the people. If I have an opportunity to make a small impact on 18- to 22-year-olds in the time they're with me, that's my goal. And to learn some life lessons in the process and to enjoy an experience like this that they will never forget, because tomorrow is never guaranteed. And I know that personally."
Breschi said he got chills as Cloutier talked. "But that's who these guys are, and that's the culture we have and it's a family," he said. "A lot of people talk about family, and these guys live it."
Monday, that family will play for a national championship.
