Coming to an End

Thursday and Friday marked the final days of the 2011 LPF camp in El Alto.  On Thursday we headed out to La Cancha Cosmos, a high quality turf field on the edge of El Alto, for a friendly match.  After an initial exhibition game of US versus Bolivia (which ended in an honorable tie) the teams were mixed up for a full field match during which the local girls put on show the full range of skills they have learned over the past 2 weeks.  Their progress has been incredible and it was extremely satisfying to see them playing in such a great setting.

The girls with their OWF soccer balls

On Friday we were back to our regular dirt field for a 5v5 tournament and an end of camp fiesta.  After the tournament, we had the opportunity to give out awards to all the campers.  Thanks to the amazing amount of soccer gear that our student coaches donated, plus some other materials donated by Adidas, we were able to give each participant a full package including cleats, socks, shorts and shirts.  We hope that this small gift will help these committed young women to continue playing the sport they clearly love.

A hug between new friends

Following the awards we were surprised by a feast which had been jointly prepared by all the campers.  After all the food, the speeches, the photos, a surprise birthday cake for Julia, and a lot of tears, it was time for us to leave.  If anybody had any doubt beforehand, this experience really showed the impact that both groups have had on each other's lives over the last 2 weeks.  

Student Coaches trying to compose themselves

A happy recipient

Julia's birthday surprise from the Bolivians

Eva with her LPF certificate

Final Day of Coaching!

Kelly explaining heading

Kelly (University of San Francisco) and Kat (University of South Florida) delivered our final coaching session.  The technical teaching point focused on crossing and finishing while the life-skill of the day was communication.  Kelly and Kat did a wonderful job designing and implementing the session.  Per usual the other Student Coaches performed their support roles to near perfection, setting clear examples that were full of enthusiasm and excitement.

Kristin and Craig in front of the press

During the morning LPF was also invited to meet the President and Vice-President of the City Council of El Alto.  We discussed future plans to increase the presence of LPF in El Alto alongside of creating permanent soccer structures including putting artificial turf on some of the dirt fields we play on and classrooms to encourage the type of discussion sessions we have been conducting the past weeks.  After our meeting with the President and Vice-President we were invited to a press conference centered on the work of LPF in El Alto.  Kristin (Tufts University) was a great ambassador for LPF during the press conference.

The highlight of the past couple of days for everyone has been the discussion sessions.  Today was no exception.  Probably the most gratifying – and moving – moment of the discussion for all of us involved with LPF was when one of our Bolivian participants discussed all that she has learned the previous two weeks, all the fun she has had and the new friends she has made.  The culminating moment came when she told us that this winter vacation was the best one she has had in her entire life.  Pretty sure there were some moist eyes among our Student Coaches. 

Grey skies are gonna clear up...put on a happy face!

Grace (Montana) trying not to be tagged!

Today started out grey but we kept a positive attitude which happened to be today's lesson taught by Kristin (Tufts) and Kayley (George Washington). About half way through the morning the sun came out and awarded our positive thoughts. The warmup game of blob tag was a hit! As the weather improved the energy of the group increased along with the girls' soccer capabilities.

The student coaches' comeback cheer

The Bolivian girls were split into teams for an elimination game centered on striking the ball. Each group cheered on their teammates endlessly.  Even as they were eliminated from the game, the girls cheered their hearts out from the sidelines. The student coaches also made one of their own to show their team spirit!!

During the discussion session on confidence several of our Bolivian participants discussed the important role family and friends play in increasing our confidence during times of doubt.  The girls recounted how during the earlier soccer drills the encouragement of their teammates helped give them the confidence to succeed.  Within this same discussion one Bolivian participant described how several years ago she was feeling sad for months at a time.  She told us how some friends introduced her to soccer and encouraged her to increase her participation.  She went on to say that soccer and the encouragement of her friends helped to increase her confidence and ultimately lift her out of the sad place she was in.  


Another Bolivian participant told a story of when she was at a musical performance and saw a man with no hands play the guitar with his feet.  She used this anecdote to remind us all that it is important to have confidence in ourselves even in the face of great adversity.  Incredible insight and intelligence from 14-17 year olds!

The grey team does their team cheer!

4th of July and Monday Fun-day!

Cheering with Craig

After an adventurous weekend at Lake Titicaca, we got situated for our last week of training.   Julia (Oregon State University) and Rachel (University of Montana) led a session centered on leadership. We couldn't have asked for a better day. The sun was shining brightly, the weather was fantastic and the student coaches were excited for the 4th of July!

Farewell to Heather

The night was bittersweet, however, as it was Heather's last night with us before she departed for the US.  We celebrated both the 4th of July and the incredible job she did as a central figure in the LPF family.

Lake Titicaca and Isla del Sol

Atop Isla Del Sol with our tour guide Eddy (left)

This weekend the LPF team took a break from coaching, teaching and training and spent the weekend on Isla Del Sol (Island of the Sun), an island in Lake Titicaca.  Lake Titicaca sits on the border of Bolivia and Peru, is the largest lake in South America, and at 12,500 feet is the highest commercially navigable lake in the world (the altitude training never stops!).

The hike up to the hostal

After an early start Saturday morning, we ate fresh trout in Copacabana on the lake shore before taking a rather slow boat ride over to the island.  Our hostel sat near the top of the island, which meant a long hike up a flight of pre-Inca stairs - the hike was meant to take 45 minutes but unsurprisingly the Student Coaches saw it as a challenge and flew up in half the time.

Kat, Kelly and Kayley give their
best Incan poses

The weekend was spent enjoying the clean air, amazing scenery, hiking, and exploring the Inca ruins on the island where Inca legend says the sun was born.  We arrived back late Sunday night ready for week 2 of our program in El Alto.

Thursday and Friday: Snow!

The girls make the best of a snowy day

Our program continued on Thursday with Rachael (University of Montana) and Julia (Oregon State) leading a coaching session focused on group defending skills, with emphasis on the importance of teamwork.  As if coaching in a foreign language at 13,500 feet wasn't difficult enough, the temperature dropped about 10 degrees and brought snow to El Alto!  Despite these challenges the Student Coaches ran another fantastic, if shortened, session, which was followed by a very engaging discussion on teamwork.

The girls run drills in the gym

The snow continued Friday so the session was moved to a gymnasium, thanks to the generosity of one of the local high schools.  Grace, Lacey and Steph led their second session, training the participants in possession skills and marking the end of a great week with a lot of fun and laughter.  The improvement in both soccer and English skills at the end of week 1 is incredible and the Student Coaches and local participants all seem excited to continue the progress in week 2.

Keeping Up the Good Work

Participants making new friends

The past two days our amazing Student Coaches have continued to deliver the high quality soccer and life-skills training that was established on Day 1 of camp.  On Tuesday, Lacey (Colorado College), Grace and Steph (both University of Montana) led a well-organized session followed by a comprehensive discussion on the importance of communication, on and off the field.  The next day, Wednesday, Kat (University of South Florida) and Kelly (University of San Francisco) built on the strong foundation from the previous days and facilitated an informative and (according to the faces of our Bolivian participants) highly entertaining soccer session.  They then led a discussion on what it means to persevere in a soccer sense and in life in general.

Trying out the new kicks

Another very exciting and moving activity that has become a daily ritual of camp is the handing out of awards to our Bolivian participants for categories such as 'best soccer skills', 'best attitude', 'most laughter', 'best demonstration of perseverance' and several others.  Many of the girls have become very proud of their prizes.  One girl who was awarded new soccer cleats has meticulously cleaned her new shoes every day during and after practice.  Several of the Student Coaches have also noticed an increased sense of confidence among the girls who have received prizes.  We would like to say a big thank you to all of our partners who have donated products.  They have directly led to many smiles among our participants.    
                 

First Day Coaching

After a week full of planning and preparation, the real action finally kicked off today with Day 1 of the 10 day program with our Bolivian participants in EL Alto.  As will be the case for the next 2 weeks, we all travelled up the 1500 feet from La Paz to El Alto early in the morning to the ‘field’ (mostly dust and rock) where we will be hosting the training sessions.  We were delighted that 27 of the 30 registered participants arrived, almost on time, and definitely eager to start the program.  The participants come from three different schools in the area, representing a range of socio-economic backgrounds and soccer abilities.

Getting started 

The session was led by our first team of Student Coaches – Kristen (Tufts) and Kayley (GW) – who bravely volunteered to take the lead.  The technical session focused on control and dribbling, with the underlying theme of self-confidence running throughout.   Supported by a team of very energetic and enthusiastic Student Coaches, Kristen and Kayley led a fantastic session that laid the perfect foundation for the coming 2 weeks.  The facilities in El Alto are not quite what these top athletes from the US are accustomed to, however they proved to us all that soccer can be taught anywhere and can overcome any language barrier. 

A little enthusiasm!

Monday evening was the big match (and Futsal debut for our Student Coaches): LPF versus the selection from the La Paz women’s futsal league.  The local team showed us that Futsal is a very different game from the 11-a-side format we are used to!  Despite the defeat the LPF team learned a lot about how to play this game and set a rematch for Thursday night.

Modelling the awesome LPF tee-shirts

Easy Trekking at about 15,000 feet

This morning we took a two hour bus ride through the Antiplano en route to Tuni Condorini, an impressive 18,700 ft mountain situated in the Bolivian Andes.  After an excellent and thorough introduction to La Paz and Bolivian culture in general by our tour guide Carlos, we arrived at the trailhead.  Throughout the day we 'swam' in a glacial lake, practiced our newfound talent of belly dancing and had an enjoyable lunch at the base of Tuni Condorini, complete with a song and dance from Carlos.  Upon returning from a long day of trekking almost everyone enjoyed a much deserved nap.

We Love it When a Plan Comes Together

Day 6: After spending several days building a foundation and outlining the soccer program for the coming 2 weeks, today the session plans really came together.  In coaching pairs, Student Coaches presented their session plans to the rest to the group.  The sessions are divided into 2 sections, a technical and a thematic session.  The technical sessions will focus on a progression of basic soccer skills, and judging by what we have seen so far, our Bolivian participants are in very good hands.  The thematic sessions are match based, with rules introduced to highlight the various life skills and values that can be learned through soccer, as developed by our Students Coaches earlier in the week.

Away from the planning side, Wednesday night was spent learning various Bolivian dances, see the photo below.  We were also challenged to an indoor 5 v 5 soccer match by the La Paz Women’s Selection, an impressive team who are preparing for next month’s national championships.  Since the Students Coaches have all acclimatized well and are showing impressive fitness in training (especially given the altitude!) Coach Heather accepted the challenge.  The match is set for Monday evening…….

Tomorrow we head up to El Ato to visit two schools and meet some of the young women who will be participating next week.

Session planning

Training: Altitude adjustment going well!

Wednesday night dance class

A Sunny Day in La Paz

Day 4 in the bag, the soccer ball bag that is.  We started the day off with an early morning workout with several groups of local spectators.  Following a delicious breakfast, which included banana smoothies (our collective favorite so far), we had a team building exercise that ended up with three or four of us on one person’s back (please see the photos for a more accurate visual).  Yoga was revitalizing, as it has been the past few days.  Tomorrow morning we will be training on a beautiful outdoor field, pictures to follow.

Why We're Here

We asked our student coaches why they chose to participate in LPF this year. Here is what they said:

* To learn a new language * To learn about a new culture * To learn about social justice * “to see different ways of life and broaden my global awareness” * to work with people who have fewer opportunities * to be a role model * to work with girls * to learn about gender equality * to learn about empowerment issues combined with soccer * to go beyond the “tourist destinations” *because this is what I can do * because I am interested in child development * because I couldn’t study abroad * because soccer is who we are and what we love * to develop coaching skills * to share with these girls what soccer has given me * because soccer is a powerful tool in how we carry ourselves * because soccer opens doors in so many ways * because I want to focus my Masters research on this topic * because I want to be a nurse and work with children * because I want to reach out to avoided populations * because you are exposed to injustice when society puts you on the unlucky side of the deal and soccer can get you through it * because soccer creates opportunities * because I love “having a ball at my foot every day” * “all of the little experiences throughout my life have contributed toward my being here” * to bring the skills that I have to a place where they aren’t available * because I am going to take these experiences and tell my story * to use my gift * because you don’t have to speak the same language – the ball does it * to have a mutual learning experience.

In a word, these women ROCK!

Meet Our 2011 Student Coaches

LPF is so psyched to have an amazing and ambitious group of young women forming our team of Student Coaches. Hailing from across the U.S., these women have joined us in Bolivia to run our soccer camp with adolescent girls in El Alto, La Paz. Over the next three weeks, they will develop and deliver a 10-day soccer and life-skills curriculum, alongside teaching English, learning Spanish and training at altitude to increase their own fitness and technical skills.

We are delighted to introduce...

What a Welcome!

The LPF team has made a recent addition to field of endurance sports: marathon parading. After hours of travel, various cities of layovers, bottles of water, naps and introductions the LPF staff and Student Coaches decided to embrace the culture of La Paz and head outside towards the drums and noise. El Gran Poder is a Bolivian holiday celebrated once a year consisting of an enormous parade that lasted until the early hours of the next day. We simply wanted to watch the parade and take in the culture;  we weren't expecting to be swept away. The entire LPF team somehow got inside the parade. We were dancing and celebrating among the tubas, trumpets, dancers, costumes and Bolivians. Everyone's faces were beaming with full smiles and excitement. I can't imagine a better way to spend our first night together in a new city. Thank you for the welcome parade, Bolivia.  Photos to follow!

Day 1 in La Paz!

Most of the student coaches arrived this morning, all safe and sound.  We still have 2 more to complete this year's team and we are looking forward to welcoming them soon.

After some much needed rest (they arrived at 5am) we went through our orientation and everyone seems as excited to be here as we are.  Due to either pure luck or incredible planning, Day 1 coincided with Gran Poder, the largest festival in Bolivia, so everyone got an early taste of the rich local culture.

We will be adding photos and videos to this blog throughout the week and will introduce all this year's Student Coaches tomorrow.  For those interested please follow the blog by email, through blogger, or check back regularly.