When a Program Director Doesn't Direct Programs

Uncertain. Tumultuous. Standstill. Liberating. Whatever adjective is your go-to descriptor for the current climate brought on by COVID-19’s entry into our lives in mid-March I can certainly relate to it. Let me share with you a little bit of why that is...

When the coronavirus first made its appearance in the United States, I was happily sitting on a beach in Panama without a care in the world, loving every aspect of my life as LtN’s Panama Program Director. When COVID-19 hit the US, I was forced into considering one of the most challenging, heart-wrenching moral debates that I have encountered thus far in my life: to stay in Panama or to return to my US home and family. At that point, all I could think was that Bocas had become my home, its community my family and my work with LtN so much more than just “work.”

Two weeks later, Panama announced that it would be closing its borders to all commercial travel. So, armed with a return flight to Bocas at the end of May, I found myself on a plane headed back stateside. 

When I landed, I was united with my family along with a flood of unexpected and unknown. Not only had COVID-19 sent me away from the people and the programs that I had dedicated myself to for nearly a year, it had altered my role within LtN as well. How could I be an influential member of our team if I couldn’t run our programs in Panama?

Over the past four and a half months (and a cancelled May return flight), I have had the privilege of finding a very profound answer to this question… well several answers to be exact. 

On the macro-level, I have had the opportunity to dig into more facets of Lacrosse the Nations with tasks that hadn’t previously fallen within my PD purview. On the micro-level, I have created professional development tools for our international coaches, dived into the nitty gritty of donor relations and data entry, and learned what really lies behind managing websites and analyzing their traffic. I have helped evaluate what matters most in our programs and established with coworkers how we can best prioritize our goals.

I have found myself connecting more with our mission and the people that tirelessly work to achieve it than I had while I was on the ground. 

Taking a step back now, the adjectives I would use to describe “quarantimes” for me are surprising and enlightening. The virus that I thought had completely upended a years’ worth of hard work and uprooted me from a life full of freedom, self-discovery and gratitude on an island in Panama has actually opened my eyes to more confidence, joy and connection than I had ever imagined. For that, I am grateful.

-Maria McDonough, Program Director

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.

Exposure to Adversity Brings...

Our lacrosse programs in Bocas del Toro, Panama, bring together youth of all different demographics. In a single practice, we have players that were born across the street and players that were born across the ocean. We have boys and girls, older kids and younger kids, players that have been coming to practice for almost two years and players that just learned the ropes two days ago. We have Spanish-speakers, English-speakers, and several bilingual players. However, not all of our players are bilingual. 

Since communication is crucial to working as a team, this last element can sometimes create a challenge for our team. Being only Spanish-speaking, little Carla from our afternoon practice experienced this language struggle first-hand. But, instead of letting it hinder her performance, she’s used mental fortitude to grow from it.

When two new English-only players arrived to practice, I quickly explained to them how to catch, throw, and play lacrosse in the language we both shared. Then, during the following drills, I expressed my encouragement and advice also in English. Soon, Carla tapped me on the shoulder. She had something to tell me. 

Visibly frustrated, Carla told me that she didn’t like it when I spoke in English because she couldn’t understand what I was saying. That annoyed her. We moved to the side and I explained to her that I completely understood how she was feeling - when I arrived in Bocas 5 months ago, I couldn’t understand what anyone was saying because I didn’t know any Spanish. I reminded her how hard that was for me, and I justified her frustration. 

I also reminded her that I had used a lot of patience, put in a lot of effort, and used different ways to communicate with the team when language wasn’t a possibility. She could focus on using these helpful tactics during practice as well. She agreed that she would.

The next practice, I told myself to focus on using more Spanish to ensure that all of our players felt like they were receiving the same recognition. Before explaining the first drill, I informed our Spanish-speaking players that I would first say the rules in English and then in Spanish. I explained it in English and was all ready to go in Spanish when Carla surprised me. Instead of waiting for me to start explaining, she simply waved her hand and loftily said to me in Spanish, “Maria, I know English, too. I understand the drill, don’t worry!” 

Seeing the change in her attitude from one practice to the next made me so proud of her. She was able to adjust her perspective on an element of practice that challenged her, focus on her capabilities rather than her shortcomings, and emit confidence.

Growth, little by little, is all we ask of our players… Great job, Carla!  

— Maria, Panama Program Director