The Wall Street Journal recently published an article about the Golden State Warriors. The team has quickly risen to the top this year, but it’s their time spent off the court that is one of the crucial pillars propelling them to one of the best—or the best, depending on the day that you are reading this—records in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and franchise history.
At the helm is first-time coach Steve Kerr, who, despite winning a couple of NBA titles with some guy named Michael Jordan, had never been the one drawing up plays. While Kerr calls the shots on the court, the real magic is brewing with the team’s huge team meals.
At the beginning of the season, without any pressure from the coaching staff, the team decided that they would dine together from here on out. This choice has more impact than any of them would ever have anticipated.
From little leaguers noshing on ice cream after a victory, to the high school football team slurping up pasta the night before the big game, sports teams have been known to use their mealtime to connect with players they might not interact with as much, strategize, and build camaraderie. Sadly, this tradition has seemingly faded in recent years when it comes to professional sports, with individual players often going off and doing their own thing. But how does eating alone impact the team? The Warriors are proving it has a big effect on the success of the team both on and off the court.
Warriors forward David Lee points out, “Chemistry is not something you can fake. You either have it or you don’t.” The chemistry that they have developed is displayed quite evident in the win column, and hopefully, they will be breaking bread all the way to the NBA finals.
