You may know me as Stephen—or perhaps Doc—but how about Inaugural Tufts University Lacrosse Team Mini-Game Champion?
Before you ooh and ahh, let me explain.
In the fall of my junior year, our coach gathered the seniors, drafted eight small teams, and launched what would become the most influential part of our training program—something that still exists today: The Mini-Game Championship.
Designed to infuse competition into everything we did, this year-long contest awarded points for weightlifting sessions, 3v3 basketball, and—most importantly—short-sided 4v4 lacrosse battles at the end of each practice. Teammates lined the field, hooting and hollering like it was the NCAA final.
Even with thirteen NESCAC championship plaques and five national trophies on display, The Mini-Game Cup—a gallon bucket and large bowl wrapped in tinfoil and etched with winners’ names—might be the most coveted prize in the trophy room.
The genius of the Mini-Game was simple: it made every rep, every drill, every practice matter. It built camaraderie, normalized pressure, and inoculated us from noise and nerves.
To build a culture rooted in competition, you cannot simply talk about it, you must practice it until it becomes an unbreakable habit. So when you are designing your team culture, remember: Competitiveness isn’t built in the big moments—it’s rehearsed in the small ones.