Every chief can use a few good tips to make tribal year a little better. Here are a few tips gathered from experienced chiefs gone by:

1. Communicate. Keep everyone informed as much as possible. While e-smoke signals are frowned upon for meeting invitations, they are a great tool for keeping in touch with the tribe on a regular basis.

2. Stay well informed. With the YGP web site, there's no excuse for not knowing what's happening around the Arapahoe Nation - and then communicating that knowledge to your tribe.

3. Delegate. Don't try to do everything on your own. That's why each tribe has additional officers and why there are some folks left over to help pull the slack. Get others to plan camping trips, arrange tribal outings or fetch feathers from the YGP office.

4. Be excited. While some of what's happening during tribal meetings can be "ho-hum" to some dads, the chief needs to be excited about being there. The chief's attitude rubs off on the kids - and they know if you're phoning it in.

5. Tribe Pride. Encourage your dads to buy tribe caps and shirts - and wear them whenever gathered for nation events: Fall Outing, Winter Inning, Spring Outing, etc. Some tribes even have flags, car magnets, banners and web sites to proclaim their tribe's greatness.

6. Stick to the program. Be tough and follow the guidelines set forth by the staff. Especially the rule about father and child attending meetings together.