Leadership Abroad
9/3/2015 10:57:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse
By: Justin Lafleur, Lehigh Sports Media Relations
Story on IL Women
Being a student-athlete is a full-time job, but at Lehigh University, players are not confined to their sport. Of course, there are limitations, but the women's lacrosse program and athletic department as a whole encourages its student-athletes to broaden their horizons.
A perfect example is senior, who Nikki Isdaner broadened her horizons this past summer through a trip to Costa Rica. Isdaner's parents have a connection with Rustic Pathways, who was looking for group leaders for various trips, including one to Costa Rica which ran from July 2-17.
"It was a two-and-a-half week trip. There were approximately 70 kids around 15 years old," she said. "There were five group leaders in total, including myself."
One goal of the trip was to instill critical teamwork skills.
"We wanted them to learn how to be leaders and mentors," said Isdaner. "We wanted them to get over their own fears and we also really wanted them to build cultural bridges between teams from the United States and Costa Rican youth."
The trip consisted of various parts, beginning with a week of adventure activities.
"We took the kids white water rafting, rock climbing, zip lining, snorkeling and all these different things in Costa Rica," said Isdaner. "We didn't only have a good time, but it also taught them team building, teamwork and some leadership skills. Also, a lot of them got over their fears and experienced different types of adventure that they don't usually do at home."
The second week featured volunteer work. The staff set up a camp for Costa Rican children aged seven to ten, who spoke no English at all.
"We went into a really impoverished area and set up this camp so they were able to have an experience and learn English," said Isdaner. "Some of our kids taught them English and taught them regular camp games as well. Basically, it was an eight-hour camp that lasted for a week. They learned English, we got to feed them, give them clothes and have fun with them.
"It was awesome for the (American) kids to have the first week to really do the adventure activities, get over their fears, and then learn how to volunteer and make a difference in someone's life," Isdaner continued.
The activities were beneficial to all parties involved for many different reasons. It was a learning opportunity for everyone.
"There was a huge age difference and language barrier between our kids and the Costa Rican kids, so those were two huge things they had to get over and learn how to figure out," said Isdaner. "The overall idea was to make them more aware of the world outside the bubble they're used to. Expose them to new people, new places and push them in a healthy environment to new activities."
In many ways, this trip had a similar purpose as what the college experience is meant to accomplish - preparing for the "real world."
There was a common theme of independence throughout the trip, being on your own away from friends and family in another country. At the same time, leading groups of people was a common theme.
"The kids were paired in groups of ten and they had to learn and come up with games to play, and ways to teach the (Costa Rican) kids English," said Isdaner. "They had to come up with all these different team-building strategies to figure out how to make these kids have a good time while also learning and impacting their lives in a positive way."
The Americans truly made a difference in Costa Rica youngsters' lives.
"'The Costa Rican kids had never had an opportunity like this before," said Isdaner. "Most of them live in either half homes, or some of them don't even have homes. They never really had an opportunity to eat as much food as they want or wear clothes that they want. It was very eye-opening and the Costa Ricans were very appreciative."
The end of the trip included some time to relax, the "vacationing" part of the trip. Just like that, the group headed back to the United States. The trip was in the summer, but Nikki still asked for the blessing of the Lehigh coaches because of the nature of the trip. The biggest concern was being away from technology.
"We have wonderful coaches (at Lehigh)," said Isdaner. "They totally support different programs outside of lacrosse. They were all for it and super excited about the trip. They didn't really know if I was going to be around a gym, or even a phone, to contact them if we had team emails. Yet, they were super open to the trip, which made me feel comfortable. I didn't feel like I was missing out or was going to be in trouble if I came back three weeks later and wasn't really contacting them. They were super helpful, open and supportive."
"We absolutely encourage these types of summer experiences for our student-athletes," said Lehigh head coach Jill Redfern. "We always want our athletes to take risks and explore places and opportunities that will challenge them."
In the end, everything worked out well; Isdaner stayed extremely active throughout her stay in Costa Rica.
"The first week featured outdoor activities, so I was always moving," she said. "Every other day, I would do the workout Kayla Itsines, which is like circuit training. On the days that I didn't do those workouts, I would just run around and peruse the town. It would actually help me figure out where I was and it helped me see different parts of Costa Rica that I wouldn't have been able to see in a car."
Isdaner was able to appreciate the beauty of the country through runs in Costa Rica, all while being able to stay active more, and easier, than she could have hoped.
"At one point, we were in the rainforest and there were beautiful paths to run up a volcano," she said. "Costa Rica is a very active country and people are always running and always outside. When we did the camp, we actually had lacrosse sticks, soccer balls and basketballs. So not only was I teaching Costa Rican kids how to play lacrosse, but I also taught them how to play soccer, basketball and just do all different camp types of games. That was really fun, because most of them had never even seen a lacrosse stick before."
As an added bonus, Costa Ricans eat very healthy food.
"Everything is grilled chicken, beans, rice and nothing really processed," said Isdaner. "They eat a lot of really fresh fruit, too."
Moving forward, the trip should prove beneficial to Isdaner, on and off the field. The American children whom she was leading learned some valuable life skills, and so did Nikki. Leading and mentoring a large group of children was a new and eye-opening experience.
"I didn't even realize that they (the children) could respect me that much and learn from me like they did," said Isdaner. "In times when it was easy to be negative, I learned how to be positive and change other peoples' attitudes. I learned that I'm more independent than I realized."
What Isdaner learned should translate to all aspects of life.
"Managing and communicating with a large group is never an easy task," said Redfern. "I'm certain Nikki learned how to connect with a wide range of personalities over the course of the trip."
"I believe any type of life experience and new experience changes a person for the better," she said. "It definitely taught me how to communicate, how to be honest, how to be motivated and express exactly what's needed and know exactly your role as a group leader."
Now a senior, Isdaner will be counted on to take more of a leadership role heading into the 2016 season. In many ways, her summer trip had nothing to do with lacrosse, but in other ways, it did. The Mountain Hawks could reap the benefits of a more complete Nikki Isdaner this season, due to her experiences in Costa Rica.
"With lacrosse, you have to know your role on the field. When you're leading 70 kids, you have to know your role because they're all looking at you to teach them," she said. "The skills can definitely translate."
The trip was a tremendous springboard into the school year ahead. A former New Jersey native, she moved to Florida when she was ten years old before finding her way back to the Mid-Atlantic for college.
"I always heard of Lehigh growing up," said Isdaner. "I was being recruited by different schools. When the Lehigh coaches contacted me, I looked into the school, I went to the camp, I stayed overnight and fell in love with Lehigh right away. The girls on the team were a family and it was a truly welcoming environment. Everyone has the same mentality on our team, which is to work really hard and have fun together."
With her collegiate career approaching its final chapter, Isdaner has experienced many highs and lows, but no matter what, the Mountain Hawks are continuing to push forward. They have improved in each and every season during Isdaner's collegiate tenure, highlighted by two straight Patriot League Tournament appearances. The intangibles are a huge strength for Nikki, and the Lehigh women's lacrosse program as a whole.
"It's a really united team," said Isdaner. "You feel that vibe the second you walk on campus and walk on our field."
Now, the Psychology major and Health minor wants to give back in any way possible, whether it's through the trip to Costa Rica, or promoting the incredible opportunities that are possible at Lehigh University.
"I'm really passionate about doing volunteer work and I'm really passionate about Lehigh and Lehigh Lacrosse," said Isdaner. "I only have positives to say about my Lehigh experience. Hopefully, others want to do something similar, understanding that our coaches are really accepting and supportive in what we want to do outside of academics and the playing field."
Story on IL Women
Being a student-athlete is a full-time job, but at Lehigh University, players are not confined to their sport. Of course, there are limitations, but the women's lacrosse program and athletic department as a whole encourages its student-athletes to broaden their horizons.
A perfect example is senior, who Nikki Isdaner broadened her horizons this past summer through a trip to Costa Rica. Isdaner's parents have a connection with Rustic Pathways, who was looking for group leaders for various trips, including one to Costa Rica which ran from July 2-17.
"It was a two-and-a-half week trip. There were approximately 70 kids around 15 years old," she said. "There were five group leaders in total, including myself."
One goal of the trip was to instill critical teamwork skills.
"We wanted them to learn how to be leaders and mentors," said Isdaner. "We wanted them to get over their own fears and we also really wanted them to build cultural bridges between teams from the United States and Costa Rican youth."
The trip consisted of various parts, beginning with a week of adventure activities.
"We took the kids white water rafting, rock climbing, zip lining, snorkeling and all these different things in Costa Rica," said Isdaner. "We didn't only have a good time, but it also taught them team building, teamwork and some leadership skills. Also, a lot of them got over their fears and experienced different types of adventure that they don't usually do at home."
The second week featured volunteer work. The staff set up a camp for Costa Rican children aged seven to ten, who spoke no English at all.
"We went into a really impoverished area and set up this camp so they were able to have an experience and learn English," said Isdaner. "Some of our kids taught them English and taught them regular camp games as well. Basically, it was an eight-hour camp that lasted for a week. They learned English, we got to feed them, give them clothes and have fun with them.
"It was awesome for the (American) kids to have the first week to really do the adventure activities, get over their fears, and then learn how to volunteer and make a difference in someone's life," Isdaner continued.
The activities were beneficial to all parties involved for many different reasons. It was a learning opportunity for everyone.
"There was a huge age difference and language barrier between our kids and the Costa Rican kids, so those were two huge things they had to get over and learn how to figure out," said Isdaner. "The overall idea was to make them more aware of the world outside the bubble they're used to. Expose them to new people, new places and push them in a healthy environment to new activities."
In many ways, this trip had a similar purpose as what the college experience is meant to accomplish - preparing for the "real world."
There was a common theme of independence throughout the trip, being on your own away from friends and family in another country. At the same time, leading groups of people was a common theme.
"The kids were paired in groups of ten and they had to learn and come up with games to play, and ways to teach the (Costa Rican) kids English," said Isdaner. "They had to come up with all these different team-building strategies to figure out how to make these kids have a good time while also learning and impacting their lives in a positive way."
The Americans truly made a difference in Costa Rica youngsters' lives.
"'The Costa Rican kids had never had an opportunity like this before," said Isdaner. "Most of them live in either half homes, or some of them don't even have homes. They never really had an opportunity to eat as much food as they want or wear clothes that they want. It was very eye-opening and the Costa Ricans were very appreciative."
The end of the trip included some time to relax, the "vacationing" part of the trip. Just like that, the group headed back to the United States. The trip was in the summer, but Nikki still asked for the blessing of the Lehigh coaches because of the nature of the trip. The biggest concern was being away from technology.
"We have wonderful coaches (at Lehigh)," said Isdaner. "They totally support different programs outside of lacrosse. They were all for it and super excited about the trip. They didn't really know if I was going to be around a gym, or even a phone, to contact them if we had team emails. Yet, they were super open to the trip, which made me feel comfortable. I didn't feel like I was missing out or was going to be in trouble if I came back three weeks later and wasn't really contacting them. They were super helpful, open and supportive."
"We absolutely encourage these types of summer experiences for our student-athletes," said Lehigh head coach Jill Redfern. "We always want our athletes to take risks and explore places and opportunities that will challenge them."
In the end, everything worked out well; Isdaner stayed extremely active throughout her stay in Costa Rica.
"The first week featured outdoor activities, so I was always moving," she said. "Every other day, I would do the workout Kayla Itsines, which is like circuit training. On the days that I didn't do those workouts, I would just run around and peruse the town. It would actually help me figure out where I was and it helped me see different parts of Costa Rica that I wouldn't have been able to see in a car."
Isdaner was able to appreciate the beauty of the country through runs in Costa Rica, all while being able to stay active more, and easier, than she could have hoped.
"At one point, we were in the rainforest and there were beautiful paths to run up a volcano," she said. "Costa Rica is a very active country and people are always running and always outside. When we did the camp, we actually had lacrosse sticks, soccer balls and basketballs. So not only was I teaching Costa Rican kids how to play lacrosse, but I also taught them how to play soccer, basketball and just do all different camp types of games. That was really fun, because most of them had never even seen a lacrosse stick before."
As an added bonus, Costa Ricans eat very healthy food.
"Everything is grilled chicken, beans, rice and nothing really processed," said Isdaner. "They eat a lot of really fresh fruit, too."
Moving forward, the trip should prove beneficial to Isdaner, on and off the field. The American children whom she was leading learned some valuable life skills, and so did Nikki. Leading and mentoring a large group of children was a new and eye-opening experience.
"I didn't even realize that they (the children) could respect me that much and learn from me like they did," said Isdaner. "In times when it was easy to be negative, I learned how to be positive and change other peoples' attitudes. I learned that I'm more independent than I realized."
What Isdaner learned should translate to all aspects of life.
"Managing and communicating with a large group is never an easy task," said Redfern. "I'm certain Nikki learned how to connect with a wide range of personalities over the course of the trip."
"I believe any type of life experience and new experience changes a person for the better," she said. "It definitely taught me how to communicate, how to be honest, how to be motivated and express exactly what's needed and know exactly your role as a group leader."
Now a senior, Isdaner will be counted on to take more of a leadership role heading into the 2016 season. In many ways, her summer trip had nothing to do with lacrosse, but in other ways, it did. The Mountain Hawks could reap the benefits of a more complete Nikki Isdaner this season, due to her experiences in Costa Rica.
"With lacrosse, you have to know your role on the field. When you're leading 70 kids, you have to know your role because they're all looking at you to teach them," she said. "The skills can definitely translate."
The trip was a tremendous springboard into the school year ahead. A former New Jersey native, she moved to Florida when she was ten years old before finding her way back to the Mid-Atlantic for college.
"I always heard of Lehigh growing up," said Isdaner. "I was being recruited by different schools. When the Lehigh coaches contacted me, I looked into the school, I went to the camp, I stayed overnight and fell in love with Lehigh right away. The girls on the team were a family and it was a truly welcoming environment. Everyone has the same mentality on our team, which is to work really hard and have fun together."
With her collegiate career approaching its final chapter, Isdaner has experienced many highs and lows, but no matter what, the Mountain Hawks are continuing to push forward. They have improved in each and every season during Isdaner's collegiate tenure, highlighted by two straight Patriot League Tournament appearances. The intangibles are a huge strength for Nikki, and the Lehigh women's lacrosse program as a whole.
"It's a really united team," said Isdaner. "You feel that vibe the second you walk on campus and walk on our field."
Now, the Psychology major and Health minor wants to give back in any way possible, whether it's through the trip to Costa Rica, or promoting the incredible opportunities that are possible at Lehigh University.
"I'm really passionate about doing volunteer work and I'm really passionate about Lehigh and Lehigh Lacrosse," said Isdaner. "I only have positives to say about my Lehigh experience. Hopefully, others want to do something similar, understanding that our coaches are really accepting and supportive in what we want to do outside of academics and the playing field."
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