SE: K-State to Send 16 Student-Athletes to Costa Rica for Latest Cats Across Continents Service Trip
Aug 02, 2019 | Sports Extra, Athlete Services
By Corbin McGuire
Sustainability.
This one word jumped off the page to K-State rowing senior Rachel Haskell when she looked into K-State Athletics' Cats Across Continents service trip through Courts for Kids. It's a big reason why she decided to join 15 other K-State student-athletes and four staff members in this year's trip to Costa Rica from Sunday to August 13.
"If I want to go serve somewhere," she said, "I want to make sure it truly is beneficial."
One reason she believes this trip to Costa Rica will be: The Wildcats will build the court alongside community members in Aguas Claras, located near the southern border with Panama. There, a soccer field is currently the only space for physical activities and organized sports. This collaborative approach, as opposed to the student-athletes and Courts for Kids workers doing it all themselves, spoke to Haskell from the start.
"If you build it for a community, you don't get to have that whole experience of building those relationships," she said. "When you're working toward a common goal, that binds people together without having to speak the same language. I love the idea of getting to do it with local people."
The trip also allows student-athletes to get out of their comfort zone.
The Wildcats will sleep in a community center with mattresses on the floor and mosquito nets above them. They will eat local cuisine prepared by community members and bath with bucket showers. Locals, for the most part, only speak Spanish. The court-building process will take several days and include loading wheelbarrows between 300-400 times from a concrete mixer.
"I love being challenged and living uncomfortably," Haskell said. "I think that's a really cool way to see how privileged you are and also realize you don't need half the things you don't think you can live without. I love the idea of not having my phone the whole time I'm there."
"This is a completely new experience," K-State women's golf senior Chloe Weir added, "so I'm kind of nervous but excited at the same time."
Her nerves?
"The food…I think that's going to be a huge culture shock," Weir said, laughingly adding: "Maybe the mosquito bites."
Weir's excitement comes mostly from what she's heard about K-State Athletics' past Cats Across Continents trips to the Dominican Republic (2018), Nicaragua (2017) and Linea, Vieja, Costa Rica (2016).
"Everyone has said great things about it. They said it was very rewarding, just getting to see the community, being fully immersed in the community and getting to see a different way of life," Weir said. "They said seeing the kids' faces is the most incredible thing and (seeing) all the hard work that you've done when you get a finished product at the end that you can enjoy with the community."
Haskell heard similar reviews. Even the unfortunate memories shared — a mild injury or stomach sickness, for instance — were in a positive light.
"It's difficult. Sometimes you get sick and sometimes you're not living the most comfortable environment but all of that creates this very positive experience," she said, "and when you can encounter difficulty with people, it always brings you closer together."
Weir and Haskell both said they look forward to becoming closer to a group of student-athletes outside of their teams. They also expressed a deep appreciation for the trip in general. Not only is it offered at a low cost for student-athletes, it also switches each year between early and late summer dates so as many sports as possible can be included.
"I think K-State's really good about giving athletes opportunities to not just be an athlete. I think this is another one of those opportunities to get out of your comfort zone and see that there's more than athletics," Haskell said. "Yes, your sport is very important, but K-State wants you to be a well-rounded human being, so just by offering that, it's very unique and special."
Cats Across Continents Roster
Morgan Coffman (Women's Track and Field)
Clare Fallon (Women's Track and Field)
Devie Freeman (Men's Track and Field)
Caroline Geither (Rowing)
Aubrey Gilchrist (Rowing)
Rachel Haskell (Rowing)
Keenan Hildebrandt (Men's Track and Field)
Travis Hodge (Men's Track and Field)
Niamh McSherry (Women's Golf)
Cara Melgares (Women's Track and Field/Cross Country)
Ethan Powell (Men's Track and Field/Cross Country)
Lauren Taubert (Women's Track and Field)
Jullane Walker (Men's Track and Field)
Selena Wapelhorst (Rowing)
Chloe Weir (Women's Golf)
Logan Wolfley (Men's Track and Field)
Staff
Taylor Corley (K-StateHD.TV)
Zack Davis (K-State Track and Field Athletic Trainer)
Marissa Edwards (Academic Counselor)
Josh McCowan (Senior Associate AD of Development)
Sustainability.
This one word jumped off the page to K-State rowing senior Rachel Haskell when she looked into K-State Athletics' Cats Across Continents service trip through Courts for Kids. It's a big reason why she decided to join 15 other K-State student-athletes and four staff members in this year's trip to Costa Rica from Sunday to August 13.
"If I want to go serve somewhere," she said, "I want to make sure it truly is beneficial."
One reason she believes this trip to Costa Rica will be: The Wildcats will build the court alongside community members in Aguas Claras, located near the southern border with Panama. There, a soccer field is currently the only space for physical activities and organized sports. This collaborative approach, as opposed to the student-athletes and Courts for Kids workers doing it all themselves, spoke to Haskell from the start.
"If you build it for a community, you don't get to have that whole experience of building those relationships," she said. "When you're working toward a common goal, that binds people together without having to speak the same language. I love the idea of getting to do it with local people."
The trip also allows student-athletes to get out of their comfort zone.
The Wildcats will sleep in a community center with mattresses on the floor and mosquito nets above them. They will eat local cuisine prepared by community members and bath with bucket showers. Locals, for the most part, only speak Spanish. The court-building process will take several days and include loading wheelbarrows between 300-400 times from a concrete mixer.
"I love being challenged and living uncomfortably," Haskell said. "I think that's a really cool way to see how privileged you are and also realize you don't need half the things you don't think you can live without. I love the idea of not having my phone the whole time I'm there."
"This is a completely new experience," K-State women's golf senior Chloe Weir added, "so I'm kind of nervous but excited at the same time."
Her nerves?
"The food…I think that's going to be a huge culture shock," Weir said, laughingly adding: "Maybe the mosquito bites."
Weir's excitement comes mostly from what she's heard about K-State Athletics' past Cats Across Continents trips to the Dominican Republic (2018), Nicaragua (2017) and Linea, Vieja, Costa Rica (2016).
"Everyone has said great things about it. They said it was very rewarding, just getting to see the community, being fully immersed in the community and getting to see a different way of life," Weir said. "They said seeing the kids' faces is the most incredible thing and (seeing) all the hard work that you've done when you get a finished product at the end that you can enjoy with the community."
Haskell heard similar reviews. Even the unfortunate memories shared — a mild injury or stomach sickness, for instance — were in a positive light.
"It's difficult. Sometimes you get sick and sometimes you're not living the most comfortable environment but all of that creates this very positive experience," she said, "and when you can encounter difficulty with people, it always brings you closer together."
Weir and Haskell both said they look forward to becoming closer to a group of student-athletes outside of their teams. They also expressed a deep appreciation for the trip in general. Not only is it offered at a low cost for student-athletes, it also switches each year between early and late summer dates so as many sports as possible can be included.
"I think K-State's really good about giving athletes opportunities to not just be an athlete. I think this is another one of those opportunities to get out of your comfort zone and see that there's more than athletics," Haskell said. "Yes, your sport is very important, but K-State wants you to be a well-rounded human being, so just by offering that, it's very unique and special."
Cats Across Continents Roster
Morgan Coffman (Women's Track and Field)
Clare Fallon (Women's Track and Field)
Devie Freeman (Men's Track and Field)
Caroline Geither (Rowing)
Aubrey Gilchrist (Rowing)
Rachel Haskell (Rowing)
Keenan Hildebrandt (Men's Track and Field)
Travis Hodge (Men's Track and Field)
Niamh McSherry (Women's Golf)
Cara Melgares (Women's Track and Field/Cross Country)
Ethan Powell (Men's Track and Field/Cross Country)
Lauren Taubert (Women's Track and Field)
Jullane Walker (Men's Track and Field)
Selena Wapelhorst (Rowing)
Chloe Weir (Women's Golf)
Logan Wolfley (Men's Track and Field)
Staff
Taylor Corley (K-StateHD.TV)
Zack Davis (K-State Track and Field Athletic Trainer)
Marissa Edwards (Academic Counselor)
Josh McCowan (Senior Associate AD of Development)
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