TAMPA TRIBE RISING STARS - DICK'S SPORTING GOODS TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS TEAM PREVIEW
(December 30, 2008)
Location: North Tampa, FL
Head Coach: Tom FitzSimons
Established: 2007
Colors: Blue & gold
by Danielle Findley
Last January, the Tampa Tribe finished as the runner-up in the rising stars division of the Dick’s Sporting Goods Tournament of Champions.
Now, with about half of its players returning for another go-around, the team hopes to build upon its national championship experience and come away with the title this year.
“Last year, the team that we lost to, all the players ran fast and their defense was so good,” says Miles Britton (Wesley Chapel H.S.). “[We] learned that you have to move the ball a lot and you have to be able to run forever in order to compete with the top talent in the nation.”
The players also hope that as local hosts of the tournament, they will have a home-field advantage over their competitors.
“It’s a lot easier when you live four minutes away from the fields you’re playing at,” says Britton. “You get to wake up later and go practice whenever you want. Most teams have to take a bus to get there, but we can go and shoot around whenever we want.”
Despite the perks Britton points out, Tampa Tribe head coach Tom FitzSimons doesn’t believe his squad will have too much of an advantage by playing close to home.
“Lacrosse is one of those crazy things,” says FitzSimons. “Unless you have 40,000 crazy fans, there isn’t really a home-field advantage. You just go out and play.”
The team hopes plenty of practice, in addition to its previous national championship experience and close proximity to the tournament, will lead to a win in the rising stars division.
“We’ve been practicing every Wednesday and Sunday, and this week we’ve been practicing every day for two-and-a-half hours,” says midfielder Jordan Mahoney (Wesley Chapel H.S.). “We practice everything twice so we have the muscle memory for certain situations. It’s tiring, but it works…we’re progressing a lot.”
With his program hosting the tournament, FitzSimons hopes to show the competition a good time to keep them coming back to the national championship year after year.
“We’re looking forward to getting the teams down here, showing them some hospitality, and letting them enjoy the good weather so they’ll come back to the tournament next year and do their thing.”
The Tampa Tribe will face the Connecticut Cardinals, Team Georgia, and Black Dog in the Highlander Sport pool in Toyota Pool Play. Click here for the complete tournament schedule.
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