Player Spotlight: Guissell

Meet this month's spotlight player, Guissell! Guissell started playing lacrosse in Nicaragua alongside her older brother, Ariel, three years ago. Guissell is one of our most dedicated players. Despite her brother's inability to attend practices due to his university commitments, Guissell has attended close to every practice this past year. Guissell constantly exhibits a love for the game. She actively asks to help coach new players and is the first one to put on her equipment and jump on the field. Guissell plans to attend university after graduating high school this year. 

Age: 16

Year in school: 11th grade

Favorite Class: Physics

Favorite part of Lacrosse: Learning new drills and activities at practice

Something you have learned from lacrosse: "I've learned that if you respect your teammates they will in turn give you respect."

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Intern Spotlight: Returning to Nicaragua

When I visited Nicaragua two years ago for a short two weeks, I knew immediately that I had to return. At the time, I was visiting my sister who was a program director for Manna Project International. While she was very busy running her own programs, I had the pleasure to shadow Javier Silva, now Executive Director of Lacrosse the Nations and see what lacrosse looked like in Nicaragua. I had just graduated high school and was committed to play Division I lacrosse at the University of Richmond, so I was extremely eager to see what the game of lacrosse looked like abroad and hopefully spread my knowledge and love for the game to others.

I was able to attend all of the LTN practices, mostly helping out at Chiquilistagua practices in the morning, where I participated in all of the gym classes and at Club Hope where I played in drills and games with the kids. Despite taking Spanish classes throughout high school, it was a little difficult to communicate. However, I found the language barrier was not a problem when I was playing. I had no idea what to expect when arriving to Nicaragua, and was pleasantly surprised to find out that the kids were extremely talented. Although there was limited equipment, the kids showed up every day eager to learn and always playing their hardest.

Fast forward two years later, I feel so incredibly grateful to return for the month as an intern for LTN and MPI and continue to build the relationships I made two years ago. Roberto was among one of the kids that I met during my initial visit and was excited to be reunited with. I admired him for his smart, unselfish play, and was excited to see how much he has improved. With limited Spanish two years ago, we formed our relationship through playing together. Since my Spanish has improved, I am able to coach him and give him tips. He is now in the advanced group of Club Hope, and admired by all the younger players.

While my first experience in Nicaragua was certainly eye opening, the progression of the lacrosse programs has been by far the best part of my experience here thus far. Although it has been amazing to see how the fields, equipment, and programs have improved, the most rewarding part has been able to see how much the players skills have progressed and the new relationships I have been able to create. To see the way lacrosse has impacted these kids lives over the years, the relationships and friendships that they have made, and to see that their love for the game is still alive and stronger than ever, makes me extremely grateful to be apart of LTN.

Julie helping teach the basics of dodging alongside Coach Maycol during Club Hope's beginner practice.

Two Years in Nica

by Daniel Lewis, Senior Program Director (Nicaragua)

Two years is a long time. When our Executive Director, Javier, asked me to write about my last two years with Lacrosse the Nations (LtN), I really had no idea even where to start. LtN has impacted me so much and in such different ways that I can’t do it justice in a short blog, but I’ll try to hit the main points.
 
First, I would like to say a sincere thank you to everyone who supported me, donated, or volunteered with LtN in the past two years. For me LtN is a special kind of organization because of the people involved. From the chairman of the board down to a volunteer who could only come to a practice or two, every single person I’ve met through LtN has bought in to our mission and culture as an organization. That’s a community that I’m proud and thankful to be a part of.
 
I probably have a story about almost every LtN student-athlete in Nicaragua, so I can’t pick just one for this blog. I will say that it has been a privilege to teach and coach these young people. I truly hope that lacrosse has brought them the same joy it has given me, and that my coaching has taught some of the same lessons that I learned while playing.

I have changed immensely as a person in the past two years, but the two most important lessons I’ve learned are to keep perspective and how to let go. I sometimes lost sight of the long term goals and progress we were making in the day to day grind. I could find myself focusing on the fact that today’s practice wasn’t really better than yesterday’s and forgetting to see how far we’d come. Working with LtN has helped me to look past one bad day or missed expectation. I also learned that sometimes you have to give up control. Training and shifting responsibility to lead practice to our coaches and LtN Scholars was one of the biggest and most lasting impacts I’ve had, but I’d be lying if I said it was easy to step aside and watch.
 
Finally, I’d like to leave you with a story. A couple of months ago I started going to Club Hope early before practice to play a little goalie (poorly), so some of the kids could practice shooting. That first day Juan Carlos was one of the players. He has, probably, the best shot of anyone on the team, but he still only managed to score on me twice in about fifty shots. Afterwards, I gave Juan a few tips on shooting on a goalie, especially to work on his aim. Bounce shots, shoot low, and aim for corners. When I showed up the following Monday Juan Carlos was waiting, ready to go. I lost track of how many times Juan scored. I’m proud of Juan going home, deliberately practicing without me looking over his shoulder, and coming back measurable improved, but some small part of me feels left behind. I think this embodies my experience these last few weeks in Nicaragua. I’ve spent my time coaching, and now I’m incredibly excited to come back to visit and see how far behind all of Lacrosse the Nations has left me.