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Carrot-Top is now Freedom and Glory — different name, same people, same commitment to you.
Last summer, three UNC field hockey players appeared in our signature story video. In that video, I share a lesson I learned when I played for the Tar Heels years ago.
My coach once showed the team a single drop of blue dye in a bucket of water. Watch it spread. Watch the whole bucket change color. That’s you, she said. That’s what one person can do.
That lesson stuck with me. It shaped how I think about work, about community, about what it means to show up. And it turns out, it’s still being passed down through the UNC program today.
We sat down with the three players from the video to hear what that lesson means to them. Ryleigh Heck is the team captain and a two-time national champion. Dani Mendez is a senior who transferred from Virginia to play alongside her best friend. And Caroline Golden is a junior from Charlotte.
The Lesson Lives On
When we shared the drop of dye story with them, they didn’t need much explanation.
“To me, that just means one person, no matter if you play or don’t play, if you aren’t the best player, you could be that person that brings the energy,” Ryleigh said. “You can be that person who doesn’t touch the ball much, but your efforts on the field make a difference. Your tackle back, your sprint back, anything to just make your team look better.”
Caroline put it simply: “If one person just brings that energy or raises the standard a little bit, the whole group is going to build off of that.”
And Dani called it what it is: “A domino effect. Just because you don’t have the loudest voice on the team or the best skill doesn’t mean you can’t bring accountability to anyone else.”
Hearing them talk about it, I realized the lesson hasn’t changed. The players have. The program has. But the idea is the same one my coach showed me all those years ago.
Down 3-1 at the Half
When we asked for a moment where this idea came to life, Dani didn’t hesitate.
“Our game versus Syracuse. We were down 3-1 at the half, and no one really seemed too stressed out about it. I didn’t feel too stressed because I knew that everyone on the field, off the field, with their energy and support, we would be able to pull out the win.”
They did. Three unanswered goals. A comeback win that showed, as Dani put it, “our character and what the program is about. Our relentlessness and just our grit as a team.”
That’s the thing about the drop of dye. It’s not about being the loudest or the most talented. It’s about showing up. Doing the extra run. Sprinting back when you’re tired. And trusting that your effort changes things for everyone around you.
Glory Isn’t Given, It’s Earned
During the video shoot, Ryleigh said something that stuck with me: “Glory isn’t given, it’s earned.”
We asked her what that looks like day to day.
“It’s just how you carry yourself every day,” she said. “Giving your 100% in whatever you’re passionate about. For me, it’s field hockey, school, my relationships. If you don’t really give it your 100%, it’s not just given to you. You have to earn it.”
She talked about the challenges. Being named captain this year. Learning to balance friendship with leadership. Pushing through when you’re stressed, distracted, or just not feeling it.
“There are obstacles every day,” she said. “It could be the mental side, or you’re stressed with schoolwork, or you have to be present for your family and friends. Pushing through those hard obstacles and just showing up. When you give it your all every day, I think it’s definitely earned.”
What the Flag Means
On game day, when Ryleigh looks up at the flag during the national anthem, her mind goes to the people around her.
“I think about playing for my team, playing for my family, my friends. I represent my university, my country, everyone around me. People who don’t really know the sport. People who look up to the girls on our team. I just tell myself I’m playing for them. I’m playing for everyone next to me.”
She remembers her first game as a freshman. The nerves. The surreal feeling of wearing a Carolina jersey.
“It was a dream of mine. And being able to stand out there with my team, listen to the music, look at the flag. It’s like, you’re doing this. We’re all doing this together.”
I remember that feeling. Standing on that field, looking up at the flag, knowing you were part of something. It never really leaves you.
Passed Down
I played at UNC decades ago. Ryleigh, Dani, and Caroline are there now. Different eras, different teammates, different challenges. But the lesson holds.
One drop changes the water. One person showing up changes the team. One small action, repeated every day, earns something that can’t be given.
That’s what my dad believed when he started making flags in his attic in 1980. That’s what I learned playing field hockey at Carolina. And that’s what these three players are living out right now.
