Women’s lacrosse in Costa Rica

Spring Break is usually a time for relaxation, but for the women’s lacrosse team, relaxation was not on the agenda.

From Feb. 28 to March 8, the team was in the Southern Providence in Costa Rica, San Isidro de El General – better known as San Isidro.

Their service was organized through Patronato Nacional de la Infancia, an organization in Costa Rica that works to protect children and adolescents.

For three days, the team was out training at the crack of dawn on the sports field by their hotel. Before the sun was directly overhead, they went to La Escuela Cocoli, doing their part for the children of Costa Rica.

The school had almost been shut down a month prior to the visit. The bathrooms were not functioning and there was graffiti all over the walls. They fixed the bathrooms, repainted the walls, painted the library and planted a 10 by 30-foot garden.

The team had brought a goal cage and other lacrosse equipment to train with. After spending some time teaching the children of La Escuela Cocoli how to play, they left the equipment there as a gift.

At the end of the week, they went to Playa Uvita, where some of the women “tried to surf.” They also rode horses up to a waterfall and had encounters with some exotic birds such as toucans.

Head Coach Camrin Azzarano and her husband Michael once lived in Costa Rica, and Azzarano had planned on bringing the lacrosse team there for a long time.

The team had never been out of the country, and Azzarano wanted to share the rich Latin culture with the team. She said they made the cultural transition very smoothly and had a blessed time.

“It was an experience of a lifetime and God’s hand was on us,” Azzarano said.