The Office of Intramural Sports hosted the first Dominoes Tournament at NSU on March 23 in the Don Taft University Center pit. The event was free to students and the winner received an intramural soccer T-shirt.
“There are a lot of Caribbean cultures at NSU and [dominoes] is the kind of game, besides soccer, that they usually play,” said Lissette Palacio, graduate assistant for Intramural Sports. “We wanted to do something different. We wanted to provide something that’s not sports-related so we went out on a limb.”
Dwight Harrison, first-year MBA student, and Orvelle Johnson, second-year student in the Abraham S. Fischler School of Education, won the tournament. They were undefeated throughout the event.
“I have been playing since I was 5 years old. My dad taught me how to play,” said Harrison. “I also competed in and won a competition when I was a teenager. So, I thought I had a good chance of winning.”
Johnson sang “I am the champion” as Palacio handed him his prize.
Erica Laceria, junior double majoring in marketing and management, said she appreciated the event.
“It’s really great to have an event that’s culture based,” she said. “I always thought dominoes was a Cuban thing, but I learned that there are a different bunch of islands in the Caribbean that are really big on it, too. It was really cool learning that.”
A written set of rules and instructions on how to play were available to participants.
Jose Valdez, third-year pharmacy student, said, “It’s a good way to bring students together who don’t usually get involved.”
There were four tables available, but only three were used throughout the night. And although registration was open prior to the event, those walking by were encouraged to join.
Amir Eldick, junior biology major, said, “It’s a fun and different thing that we’ve never had before. But if we had more participation from more people it would be awesome.”
Students could play as singles or doubles and everyone advanced to the play-off round where elimination started.
Palacio said she got the idea for the tournament from her internship at St. Thomas University, where the office of intramurals there hosts an event every year.
Palacio said the event worked on a trial-and-error basis. She said this was her last semester at NSU and that her supervisor, Mike Prociuk, assistant director for Intramurals and Special Events, will decide if the event will happen next year.
