Lacrosse the Nations is a program that is helping a community in Nicaragua called, La Chureca. There are about 225 families in the community that lives at the city trash dump. There are said to be about 875 people that live in the community and that is why Lacorsse the Nations is helping out. LtN is listening to realistic requests that will help the people of La Chureca deal with their intense poverty. The two main beliefs of the program are:
“The lacrosse community has grown over the years based on those who played the game and wanted to pass its beauty and spirit forward to future generations.”
“The game of lacrosse can be used as a vehicle to teach the values of Respect, Integrity, Teamwork, Discipline, Sportsmanship and Commitment both on and off the field in our communities.”
These two beliefs from Lacrosse the Nations are extremely important in the success of their “orphanages” and their progress. In moving forward with their programs they like to use lacrosse as an alternative to help the children bond and become more of a family or a community. The lacrosse community that is widespread through many towns across America, is a great community to idolize in Nicaragua. “Lacrosse the Nations recognizes the strength, support and bond of the lacrosse community in the United States.” These people realize the power of the lacrosse community in the United States and they want to base their programs after it.
There have been more lacrosse players than ever in Bronxville and I believe that this is because of the “spirit” of lacrosse and all the great aspects of it. When I was in third grade, a lacrosse program was just beginning in Bronxville. Now, 9 years later, there are 350 kids registered to play lacrosse in Bronxville’s Youth League. This growth shows that the love for the game and the spirit of the game grows on people, especially when the game is around you. I think that if these programs can easily follow the two beliefs stated above, they will be able to build stronger people in their work overseas and set those people up well for their future. Lacrosse the Nations is a great organization benefiting misplaced children in Nicaragua and is making an impact on the area they are presently in.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Lacrosse Community
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/21/sports/21lacrosse.html
The New York Times has recently put out an article about the growth of lacrosse across the country. One of the biggest newspapers in the country is now taking notice of the growing love for the sport. “The number of high school lacrosse players more than doubled in the last decade and 21 states now host championships, including North Carolina and South Carolina beginning this year. Illinois has added it for 2011,” the New York Times stated. Also, the NCAA is admitting 20 new women’s teams and 12 new men’s teams this year across all three divisions and 24 are expected to join next year. This has grown by so much in the past as it has sprung up 105% in the past 20 years to about 15,730 college athletes. This article just expands on how many teams are being admitted to universities as respected varsity programs. Youth programs and growing high school recognition are to blame for these expansions across the NCAA. This can easily be seen through the Bronxville youth program.
Bronxville didn’t even have a youth lacrosse program until I was in 3rd grade (9 years ago). Since then, BYLA (Bronxville Youth Lacrosse Association) has grown a program that has children starting at the age of 5. The whole community acknowledges the program and wants to get their children involved right away. Kindergarteners have a scheduled practice every Sunday on the Bronxville High School Turf, where they work on stick skills and learn the game through the help of parents and former lacrosse players. There are travel teams for each grade up to 8th. The total number of people registered in BYLA is about 350 children from Kindergarten to 8th grade. The people that coach are great role models and wonderful people that everyone respects through the town. The lacrosse community is not only great in Bronxville but everywhere around Bronxville as they have similar programs in towns like Greenwich, New Fairfield, Manhasset, Darien, etc.. The total membership count for US Lacrosse is up 8.2% from last year (uslacrosse.com). With my experience I have met people all over the country that share the love for the game, which leads to easy friendships.
The New York Times has recently put out an article about the growth of lacrosse across the country. One of the biggest newspapers in the country is now taking notice of the growing love for the sport. “The number of high school lacrosse players more than doubled in the last decade and 21 states now host championships, including North Carolina and South Carolina beginning this year. Illinois has added it for 2011,” the New York Times stated. Also, the NCAA is admitting 20 new women’s teams and 12 new men’s teams this year across all three divisions and 24 are expected to join next year. This has grown by so much in the past as it has sprung up 105% in the past 20 years to about 15,730 college athletes. This article just expands on how many teams are being admitted to universities as respected varsity programs. Youth programs and growing high school recognition are to blame for these expansions across the NCAA. This can easily be seen through the Bronxville youth program.
Bronxville didn’t even have a youth lacrosse program until I was in 3rd grade (9 years ago). Since then, BYLA (Bronxville Youth Lacrosse Association) has grown a program that has children starting at the age of 5. The whole community acknowledges the program and wants to get their children involved right away. Kindergarteners have a scheduled practice every Sunday on the Bronxville High School Turf, where they work on stick skills and learn the game through the help of parents and former lacrosse players. There are travel teams for each grade up to 8th. The total number of people registered in BYLA is about 350 children from Kindergarten to 8th grade. The people that coach are great role models and wonderful people that everyone respects through the town. The lacrosse community is not only great in Bronxville but everywhere around Bronxville as they have similar programs in towns like Greenwich, New Fairfield, Manhasset, Darien, etc.. The total membership count for US Lacrosse is up 8.2% from last year (uslacrosse.com). With my experience I have met people all over the country that share the love for the game, which leads to easy friendships.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Fields of Growth
http://video.insidelacrosse.com/video/index.php?searchTxt=Fields+of+Growth
This link is to show what is going on in Uganda. The assistant coach at Notre Dame has set up this great program that is working soundly and has updates daily on Facebook. He has more check ups on Inside Lacrosse too. He has gone to many of the schools across the country trying to get other college lacrosse teams to join in to help these children in Uganda. This is a great program that is still growing and is clearly the start to an awesome movement to help out the needy and also spread the great game of lacrosse.
This link is to show what is going on in Uganda. The assistant coach at Notre Dame has set up this great program that is working soundly and has updates daily on Facebook. He has more check ups on Inside Lacrosse too. He has gone to many of the schools across the country trying to get other college lacrosse teams to join in to help these children in Uganda. This is a great program that is still growing and is clearly the start to an awesome movement to help out the needy and also spread the great game of lacrosse.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Happiness
The lacrosse community across the country is a very warming group of people and can always be seen as wonderful giving people. When I was researching I realized that Lacrosse the Nations, out of Nicaragua, and Fields of Growth, out of Uganda, had the same goals in mind when they were setting up their programs. These two programs have raised funds over the course of the years through single donations and also running lacrosse tournaments and other activities, so that they can work towards their goals. Anyone can visit their websites and donate whenever they want for as much as they want. The primary reason for these foundations though is so that they can bring children back into the school systems and provide for their food and shelter. The money that is raised goes towards their school, food, and shelter. The point for this is so that in the future they can make their own living and be independent individuals who can work their way out of the extreme poverty they were in before. On the side, they play lacrosse to build fantastic relationships, show sportsmanship, and also to see the growth among the children.
Kevin Dugan, who runs the Fields of Growth program, has veen around lacrosse for his entire life and so have the people who run Lacrosse the Nations. Now they are using this connection to lacrosse and their passion to help others to bring happiness and the lacrosse spirit to others. Fields of Growth and Lacrosse the Nations are making such differences in the lives of the few people at their respective orphanages in Uganda and Nicaragua. Not only does this happen because of Lacrosse but it occurs because of the love and passion that they have for sharing and reaching out to those that are less fortunate. These people in my mind have the right mindset and seem very into what they are doing. If FoG and LtN are passionate and know that this is what they want to do for the rest of their lives, then they will be successful and bring happiness to those that they are helping out.
Kevin Dugan, who runs the Fields of Growth program, has veen around lacrosse for his entire life and so have the people who run Lacrosse the Nations. Now they are using this connection to lacrosse and their passion to help others to bring happiness and the lacrosse spirit to others. Fields of Growth and Lacrosse the Nations are making such differences in the lives of the few people at their respective orphanages in Uganda and Nicaragua. Not only does this happen because of Lacrosse but it occurs because of the love and passion that they have for sharing and reaching out to those that are less fortunate. These people in my mind have the right mindset and seem very into what they are doing. If FoG and LtN are passionate and know that this is what they want to do for the rest of their lives, then they will be successful and bring happiness to those that they are helping out.
Joy of Lacrosse
The world has not entirely been filled with the joy of lacrosse. People are just now starting up programs to show this sport worldwide. Through AIDS programs and other programs trying to help the needy and poor in other less fortunate countries, people have brought lacrosse to bring joy and a sense of community. There are numerous programs including the South African Lacrosse Project and the Fields of Growth program. These programs bring together malnourished children and people that have been deprived of almost all major necessities in life, and they allow them to play lacrosse and be fed while growing as a community and a family. When I figured out that these programs existed I felt obligated to find out more because of my love for lacrosse and also my experience going to an African orphanage in Tanzania. This seemed like the perfect opportunity that I had to take up, without a doubt in my mind.
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