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.

Alumni Spotlight: Caroline Rath Finds Her Balance at New Balance

Today we’d like to shine the LtN Alumni spotlight on forLtN Panama’s former Program Director, Caroline Rath, who is making incredible strides - both physically and professionally. 

After graduating from The Ohio State University as a Division I field hockey player in 2018, Caroline moved to Bocas del Toro, Panama, where she piloted Lacrosse the Nations’ second international site for 13 months. Since leaving LtN, she has dedicated her early professional career to the sports industry. With nearly five years of event operations management under her belt, Caroline now works for New Balance.  

As a New Balance Technical Sales and Field Representative, Caroline is responsible for over 30 ‘accounts’ (stores) that sell New Balance products within her territory of Pennsylvania, Delaware, and South Jersey. Since Caroline works in a hybrid manner - 2 days at an at-home office and the other days on the road traveling from her home in Philadelphia to her accounts every week. These accounts include a slew of New Balance stores, running specialty stores, REIs and Dick’s Sporting Goods. 

So what does Caroline actually do? Caroline’s work duties range in scope and scale: she is the face of New Balance marketing for her territory regarding social media curation, she manages shoe launches, updates all store staff on new products through technical clinics and group runs (literally, a run) to demo the products, and assists with all major global run events sponsored by New Balance (ex: the New York City and London Marathons, Indoor and Outdoor Nationals, and several half marathons). Needless to say, Caroline is a busy bee, working hard to grow the New Balance brand and grow herself. 

 “What I love about this role is the flexibility and the bandwidth that I have to fine-tune my own discovery process, my strengths, and passions. I love working with people as I work cross-centrally within New Balance, raising awareness of the brand and tying it into my passions of mental health, nutrition, and fitness. This role allows me to develop personally and professionally because I can dip my toes into where I potentially find myself down the line.” 

Caroline’s goal is to join the Global Marketing or Merchandising Team at New Balance. She is excited by the prospect of creating the blueprints for New Balance running events, acknowledging that “it would be an ideal setting for [her], and [her] current position puts [her] foot in the door in terms of reaching the next step.” Recently, Caroline has certainly taken many steps… 

This past April, Caroline ran the D.C. Cherry Blossom 10-mile Race in dedication to Lacrosse the Nations. Through this race, she raised nearly $1k to kickstart an English support program at our site in Panama. Next up on her list? The New York City Marathon this upcoming season.  

We’d like to take this opportunity to congratulate Caroline on all that she has accomplished and all that we know she will in the future. We are rooting for you Caroline, in all that you do personally and professionally! Thank you for being an incredible role model for all LtN student-athletes, volunteers, and our greater LtN Team.

-Maria McDonough, Panama Country Director

An Inside Scoop on F&M WLax’s Trip to LtN Panama

My name is Helen, and I am a recent graduate of Franklin & Marshall College, where I played on the women’s lacrosse team. In June, four of my F&M teammates and I got the opportunity to travel to Bocas for a week of service with LtN. I loved it so much, I even decided to push my flight and stay a few extra days. Here’s a look into how incredible our week was…

We landed on Sunday morning and spent the first two days getting to know Bocas and the LtN team. We explored the beach at Isla Carenero and took an excursion to Cayos Zapatilla on Monday, where we tried ‘deep boarding’ behind a boat and snorkeling in the nearby coral reefs. We saw tons of beautiful marine life, with the highlights being two nurse sharks and a stingray!

On Tuesday, we started our service project at the school on Isla Solarte. The school was in need of a new paint job on the surrounding fence and wall. We sanded down the rusted fence and painted throughout the morning, playing music and even getting to play a few games of soccer with the neighborhood kids. That afternoon, we had our first LtN lacrosse practice. It was amazing to meet the LtN kids, show them some of our own college drills, and play alongside them in practice. 

Left to Right: Mary Pat, Helen, Sydney, Ally, and Sarah

We continued our service project at Isla Solarte on Wednesday and Thursday. When we finished, seeing the newly painted fence and walls was very rewarding and we were grateful to have made a difference for the school and its students. The school’s facelift brought a lot of smiles to the students and a revived feeling to the community. 

That Thursday afternoon, we headed back to the main island for our final LtN lacrosse practice and watched in awe as a plane took off from the airstrip right next door, flying over our heads as we continued playing in the drills with the youth players.

On Friday, we visited the Wasteless World Recycling Center and learned about their work and mission to creatively combat waste issues on the island. We even got to try using some of their new machines! Throughout the week we took advantage of our free time by scheduling a group surf lesson and a scuba dive as well as trying local restaurants. We had a blast exploring the great waves and beautiful oceans surrounding the archipelago of Bocas del Toro. 

Ally, Sarah, & Helen on their dive!

In my extra few days, I had the opportunity to help run English and P.E. classes at the elementary school since the students’ were fortunately back from vacation, as well as work on my newfound surfing skills and explore a jungle hike to a remote beach on Isla Bastimentos. 

All in all, the five of us left Bocas with new friends, great experiences, and a deep connection to the Bocas del Toro community. We are so grateful for the opportunity to visit such a beautiful place and to support the important work of Lacrosse the Nations, and we want to thank the LtN Team for organizing this once in a lifetime trip and for showing us all that Bocas has to offer! We are looking forward to continuing to build a partnership between LtN and F&M Lacrosse and returning to Bocas in the future! 

F&M girls with our LtN Panama staff and the principal of Escuela Solarte