The LtN Volunteer Experience

by Javier Silva (LtN Executive Director)

With our programs on hold, we have taken time to reflect on what makes them so impactful, who they benefit, and how. We focus a tremendous amount on the students who come to practice and the local coaches who work with them, and rightfully so – it’s a big part of our work.

However, our mission is fueled by the passion and dedication of young lacrosse players and coaches across the US. The impact they have on our programs is huge. What our young volunteers get out of their time in our programs is massive and we don’t talk about it enough. The list of benefits of volunteering with LtN is long, but I’ve narrowed it down to the biggest three.

1. Cultural Immersion

The time our volunteers spend working at our international sites introduces them to new people, food, experiences, challenges and opportunities. Living for an extended period in a place that is so different from home teaches our volunteers to be open to opposing points of views, to embrace a new way of thinking and to be grateful for what they have. They bring these new perspectives home with them and create a ripple effect much larger than themselves.

2. The Extreme Resume Booster

LtN does not have a large staff so our volunteers are given big time responsibilities. They get to dive head first into various aspects of our organization. Everything from executing and evaluating programs to social media and fundraising strategy. This opportunity offers volunteers valuable insight into the nonprofit world. Volunteering with LtN provides tangible projects volunteers can highlight on their resume that will make them stand out later on in their careers.

3. Personal Discovery

The cornerstone of the volunteer experience is growth. Our volunteers come home knowing much more about themselves as individuals and professionals. They discover strengths and weaknesses. They realize what they like, and what they don’t. Our volunteers come home with a better understanding of how sports can be used to improve the lives of others. The role we play in it and how powerful they are in making that change possible. Ultimately, our volunteers come home a better version of themselves.

A major goal in growing our impact is to offer more opportunities for members of the US lacrosse community to travel, serve and self-discover. As the world slowly begins to reopen, we look forward to welcoming a new group of volunteers to our international sites so they can build off the work of the volunteers who came before them to make our programs stronger. All the while, growing as individuals and finding their place in the world.

Find a Common Love and Amazing Things Happen

Our programs strive to be inclusive platforms for kids of various ages, backgrounds and abilities to allow them grow together. By unifying communities through the love of lacrosse, our practices allow youth to learn from each other and work towards common goals.

In Bocas del Toro, gender, age, skin color and even language are not hindrances for our players! This past Fall, with the addition of Camil and Vadim, our afternoon practice on Isla Colon reflected the epitome of inclusivity and variety by adding French into the language mix. 

(Left to right) Camil, Vadim, Adolfo, Brillan, and Denis post-practice.

Camil, age 9, and his younger brother Vadim, age 5, were biking by our practice one sunny afternoon in September with their parents. Never having seen lacrosse before, the family immediately stopped their leisure ride and watched us play. They were on a two-month holiday away from their home in France and they were fascinated by this strange sport.

Since our programs are open to all children willing and wanting to play, I naturally invited them over and asked if they would like to join in (luckily I studied French in college and previously worked in Paris) Although Camil stayed silent by his mother’s side and Vadim hid behind his father, both parents expressed that they were eager to stay and watch. I laid a few sticks at their feet in case they wanted to try it out, and then returned to running practice.

Camil diving head into 1v1’s vs teammate, Silas.

Soon enough, Camil and Vadim were passing back and forth on the side of the court with their parents. For the next two months, Camil and Vadim became consistent players at our practices.

Camil, who was taking Spanish classes while in Bocas, communicated with the other players to the best of his ability. Little Vadim - arguably the youngest player on the field - communicated with his teammates via his brother and endless smiles. Adding to this awesomeness was Bocas veteran players, Silas and Xia, trilingual French speakers who helped explain all of the drills and rules to Camil and Vadim. 

Before my eyes, our practices now involved three different languages - Spanish, English and French - and all of our players became exposed to a new environment. The best part? Lacrosse made this possible.

Camil and Vadim helping paint in Bocas Middle School.

As time went by and Camil and Vadim became “regulars,” they even joined in with our local Bocas players to help paint classrooms at the community’s middle school. We had an absolute blast learning from each other and trying to understand one another without having our brains implode from a swirl of languages.

By the end of their vacation, the French family had become part of our Bocas family. As an act of camaraderie and gratitude, Camil gifted his bike to his teammate Brillan before he left. He knew that Brillan didn’t have one of his own and that it would enable him to get around the island much more easily. Today, you can still catch Brillan speeding around town on Camil’s bike wearing a huge smile. 

Thank you Camil and Vadim for being brave and joining our program. We hope you come back to visit Bocas again! 

Camil, Brillan, and Brillan’s brother, Denis post-practice (ft. Camil’s bike)

A 10 Year Old Heads Our International Program Development

International program development is no easy task. LtN has been in Panama for almost one year since we began our pilot programming, and we’ve had our fair share of hurdles - from conflicting partnerships and limited volunteer resources to site relocation for our Bocas practices. Although international development means having to accept some challenges, those challenges are usually the catalysts for incredibly beneficial growth. And that’s just what we’ve found in our Bocas community, with the help of a 10 year old.

Coming back after winter break, LtN had to find a new location for our Bocas practices, so I (Panama PD, Caroline) with the help of our volunteer, Shauna, searched high and low for a place that kids would know that’s also easily accessible to all kids who want to play. In the process of this literal scorching and sweaty bike search, Shauna and I decided to take a break and plop ourselves down by a basketball court in front of the beach to throw the lax ball around.  As we were passing around, there were a couple of kids playing basketball on the court adjacent to us. Little did we know at this moment that a ton of kids live across the street and play there everyday.  We thought, hey, this is a cool sport for some lacrosse, so we made it one.

Practices started out slow, but eventually more and more kids were running from across the street from their homes or leaving their soccer games on the other court to come and play with us. This is when 10 year old Laisha, became a part of the LtN family.  

One afternoon, three girls were playing a game of tag on the court.  Shauna and I began to talk to them and eventually asked if they wanted to play lacrosse with us.  At first they were tentative, but it was Laisha who took onto the game fast. She was passing and catching in the matter of 5 minutes, helping explain the fundamentals to her two younger cousins, Karla and Reychell.  From then on, she has been dominating the court!

Every practice she picks up a new skill or drill so quickly.  It’s incredible to watch the progress Laisha has made in just a matter of two months. Not only has Laisha conquered the game through her skills; the lacrosse “court” has become a place where she shows great discipline.  In the beginning of April we implemented a rule that if a player shows up late for practice, they have to run a lap before joining the team.  Laisha showed up a couple minutes late and immediately knew what she had to do without us reminding her. She got on the line, ran a lap, went to the bag to pick up a stick and got in line for the drill.  As a coach, it’s exciting to see your player embody a strong work ethic and put forth effort. What’s even more exciting is knowing that lacrosse practices are now a time where other players can observe Laisha’s work and follow by example.

Beginning this month, we’ve started handing out sticks for our players to take home at the end of the week.  We decide on two players and have the team vote who they believe most deserves the stick. These players need to exemplify good sportsmanship (on and off the field), listen and be respectful during practice, and come to practice with a positive attitude.  Not sure if this will come as a surprise to you at this point, but the team voted on Laisha to be our first player to receive her very own lacrosse stick.

Since receiving her own stick, Laisha has brought it to every practice with a huge smile on her face, ready to go.  Seeing her run across the street for practice, stick in hand, fills me with joy because I can’t wait to see what new tricks she has up her sleeve for that day’s practice.

Hurdles in our path of program implementation brought LtN to Laisha. Laisha, in turn, has brought passion, learning, and high numbers of kids to our programs ever since. Coaching a player like Laisha is a true prize and I can’t wait to see where this game takes her. She has so much greatness ahead and has brought so much light to this program with her positivity and radiant demeanor. LtN’s international programs serve a variety of purposes; but perhaps above all, our practices give children like Laisha a platform to grow, to share her light, to push those around her forward, and to enjoy every second of the process. Thank you Laisha, we should call you LtN’s new Director of Program Development, but simply calling you our teammate is more rewarding.

Caroline Rath

LtN Panama Program Director