What I Saw This Summer: Why Our Coaches Are the Program

by Javier Silva (LtN Executive Director)

I spent this summer split between Nicaragua and Colombia, and I came home beaming with pride for our coaches. The way they engage our students. How passionate they are about their work. The dedication they pour into our programs every single day. It's quite remarkable.

Coach Alexis in Medellín is a great example of what I mean. He has the ability to make every student he coaches feel seen, understood, and cared for. He's not the only one. All our coaches, in both countries, show up as far more than instructors. They're mentors, role models, and sometimes the most consistent adult presence a kid has.

Here's what stayed with me: our coaches are extraordinary already. However, they're doing it without much of the training and tools that would make them even more effective. With our volunteers this summer, they were like sponges soaking up all the lacrosse knowledge the visiting coaches and players brought. All our coaches mentioned, in one way or another, that learning more lacrosse drills, techniques, and tactics is something they are craving.

In the coming months and into the new year, we'll be making a focused effort to give our coaches the training and resources they deserve. Because every dollar that supports Lacrosse the Nations isn't just funding a program. It's investing in the people delivering it, day after day, for kids who need them.

If this resonates with you, consider joining
LtN Champions, our monthly giving community
that makes work like this possible.

When Kids Find Their Place: Two Stories of Resilience From Colombia and Nicaragua

Santiago: Stepping Up When the Game Changes

At Jacalito School in Tenjo, Colombia, Santiago has become a quiet force in the LtN community. He’s the kind of kid who shows up with consistency, humility, and heart. He’s the teammate who leads not with volume, but with example.

This season brought a challenge he didn’t expect. An injury sidelined him from playing, forcing him off the field he loves. But instead of stepping away, Santiago chose a different path.

He stepped up.

During the opening round of La Liga LtN Colombia, Santiago volunteered as a referee. A role that demanded confidence, composure, and a whole new perspective on the sport. From the sidelines, he’s discovering leadership skills he didn’t know he had, a deeper sense of responsibility, and a renewed connection to his team.

His resilience is exactly why our programs matter. When kids have a safe, consistent space to grow, they learn that setbacks don’t define them — their response does.

And Santiago is responding with courage, commitment, and heart.

Bayardo: Finding Belonging Through Lacrosse

In Nicaragua, seven‑year‑old Bayardo is carving out his own path alongside his older brother. Born with a hearing‑related injury that affects his speech, he has faced teasing at school that has shaken his confidence and made learning feel isolating.

But on the lacrosse field, everything shifts.

Here, Bayardo is surrounded by teammates who see him for who he is — capable, joyful, and full of heart. They explain drills when he needs clarity. They encourage him. They make sure he always feels included. In this space, he isn’t defined by his challenges. He’s defined by his effort, his smile, and the way he lights up when he’s part of the team.

For Bayardo, lacrosse has become more than a sport. It’s a place of belonging. A place where he feels safe, valued, and supported.

Why These Stories Matter

Santiago and Bayardo’s journeys are different, but they share a common thread: the power of consistent, caring coaches who show up week after week. That consistency is what builds trust. It’s what creates environments where kids feel brave enough to lead, confident enough to try, and safe enough to be themselves.

And that consistency is only possible because of our donors.

Your gifts fuels programs where kids discover resilience, belonging, and the belief that they matter. When you support LtN, you make stories like these possible. Stories of courage, connection, and community.

Nicole's Summer Interning with LtN in Panama

I arrived in Bocas with no expectations and was immediately obsessed with everything LtN and the islands had to offer. Although I had heard a lot about LtN and Bocas from all the University of Richmond Spider Alumni who are currently and have previously been involved, there were still a lot of missing pieces I was eager to learn for myself.  LtN Panama Country Director and Richmond Grad (‘19), Maria, and LtN Panama Program Director Caleigh immediately got Jaira (fellow Summer Intern) and I settled in and started showing us the ropes. The day after we arrived we had our first practice and got to see how amazing the student-athletes truly are. The players welcomed us with open arms and were so eager to learn more about the game. The first week was filled with learning about Bocas, the players, and all the behind the scenes work that goes into keeping LtN successful. 

After our first week, five players from the Franklin & Marshall Women’s Lacrosse team came for a service trip. I learned along with them even more things the islands has to offer. I had two favorite parts of that week: One, was traveling to Zapatilla where we had a day of deep boarding and snorkeling on the quiet island, and the second, was playing soccer with the local kids of Isla Solarte after our mornings of repainting the school. After they left is when I really started to understand the islands. I can truly say we never had a boring day; whether we went surfing, diving, or just riding around... 

Maria was kind enough to show me one of the local surf breaks on Isla Carenero, the Point (I took full advantage of her kindness and pulled her along with me even on the flat days). I have to say, this is one of my favorite spots in all of Bocas. Along with the amazing surf we spent many days at different beaches; whether it was on Isla Carenero, up at Paunch, at Paki Point, or way up at Drago. While the beaches and the scenery were absolutely amazing, so was the food. We quickly found our favorite places and made it a habit to go to them constantly. 

With the amazing scenery, weather, and food there was still so much more Bocas had to offer - the community. We quickly got to know the players and the students well, along with some of their families. Every Tuesday and Thursday morning we were welcomed with big smiles from the students at Escuela de Solarte where we held English and physical education classes. It was the kind of work that never truly felt like work. There was never a dreadful day, regardless of the tropical weather, because of these kids. 

After school we typically headed to grab a coffee and finalized our practice plan and charla. Then, we headed out onto the field. Some of the kids would always beat us out there no matter how early we headed out. The players are amazing. They always showed up with big smiles and were so excited for what that day's practice held. Sizzla, a Bocas native, LtN coach, and good friend, would lead the charla’s on life lessons anywhere from accountability to being a good friend and then make sure that it was incorporated into that practice. It was amazing to see how the kids took those lessons and put them into action immediately. The practices were pure joy.

My time with LtN and Bocas flew by thanks to the amazing people I met along the way. I cannot thank them enough for welcoming me and teaching me so much about the amazing community that is Bocas. Maria had asked me a few times what my least favorite part was and the answer was, and still is, the same: nothing.