Elon Football Costa Rica Global Experience

DAY ONE (MARCH 15)

BY ETHAN GRACE AND BRANDON SMILEY

Today on Saturday, March 15 was our first day in the beautiful country of Costa Rica! We landed in San Jose, and jumped on a bus to get some lunch. For lunch we had some amazing food on a beautiful piece of property that had peacocks walking around everywhere. We learned what Casado was, which consisted of chicken, rice, beans, vegetables. 

After we ate lunch, we dropped our stuff at hotel Barceló Palacios, and then headed over to downtown San Jose to host a clinic for Costa Rican football players including a Costa Rican football team the “Toros”, along with a female team  the “Goddesses”. The field was in the heart of San Jose, surrounded by massive mountains and we had a beautiful sunset during the practice. The kids were so excited to learn from us. We introduced ourselves and then split up to offensive/defensive line and quarterbacks, receivers, and defensive backs. We worked on offensive skills for 20 minutes, and then defensive skills for 20 minutes. All of the Costa Rican football players were very coachable, which made it so enjoyable to be out there with them. It was also fun because we would coach them a technique, and then they would have one of their friends translate it to Spanish. To finish the clinic, we had them compete against each other in 1-on-1s. They were working really hard, but were having fun as well which made it such a great experience. To end the clinic, coach Triciani gave a speech about the importance of the ball on offense, and the importance of getting the ball on defense. We ended the clinic with all of us, the Elon football juniors, and all of the Costa Rican football players breaking it down on Elon. We jumped on the bus, had another great Costa Rican meal and went to bed. 

DAY TWO (MARCH 16)

BY IAN WESTBROOK AND CANNON TURNER

We woke up this morning and got ready to have a great day in Costa Rica. We started the day with a great breakfast that consisted of rice, beans, pork, fruit and a smoothie. After breakfast we went and enjoyed an American football game where we got to watch some of the guys we coached yesterday evening (Saturday). This was very special getting to see the guys apply the coaching to the field.

After the football game, we had some time to find a spot in San Jose for lunch. We ate lunch at Barrio es Calante, which is actually owned by the same people who owned a coffee plantation that we will be visiting later this week. I loved learning that Costa Ricans eat Boca’s when supporting there favorite sports teams, it was cool to see how that’s different from what we typically eat while watching sports in America. After lunch, we had some time to free-roam around the city. We finished the day off with a tour of San Jose, courtesy of our tour guide Lucy. Learning about the beautiful history of Costa Rica truly left an impact on me and the rest of the team. The most impactful part for me personally was going inside the cathedral, and getting to take all of that in was a powerful and emotional experience. We capped the day off by driving around San Jose, where we saw the Costa Rican national teams stadium among other attractions.

DAY THREE (MARCH 17)

BY WADE GULLICKSON AND DILLON PARDUE

Day three of visiting Costa Rica was an unforgettable experience, especially exploring the La Paz Waterfall Gardens and a local coffee plantation at Alajuela. At the plantation, we learned about the  coffee-picking process, from bean to cup, while surrounded by lush green fields. The La Paz Waterfall Gardens offered an incredible opportunity to see Costa Rica's diverse wildlife up close, including monkeys, big cats like jaguars and pumas, and a variety of vibrant birds and insects. Walking through the gardens, we were amazed by the breathtaking waterfalls cascading down the lush, tropical landscape, creating a serene and picturesque setting. The combination of wildlife, natural beauty, and rich culture made day three truly special.

DAY FOUR (MARCH 18)

BY BROCK WILKINS AND JEFF YURK

Today we woke up in the lovely city of Liberia! We started off the day with a wonderful breakfast at the Los Boyeros Hotel. Right after breakfast, we got on the bus to head to Havienda Guachipelin for our Tubing Experience! We all had so much fun bouncing and splashing around three miles of class II and III rapids. The water of the Rio Negro was super clear, and the scenery was beautiful! 

We had lunch right after tubing, and the food was wonderful. Having a spread of fruits, beans and rice, BBQ pork, and toasted potatoes. In the afternoon, we stopped by an elementary school to watch some fútbol, and play with the kids! It was awesome getting to hang out with them, throw the football around, kick field goals, and play soccer with them. We got a nice tour of the school by the principal answering any questions that were asked by our fellow teammates. This part was something very cool for Brock as he hopes one day to be a teacher and to see how education is ran in another country fascinated him. We got back on the bus, and off to Flamingo Beach to check into our hotel, Margaritaville!

DAY FIVE (MARCH 19)

BY JESSE POWELL AND JARED KIRKSEY

Our team woke up early at the resort to help clean up the beach before the heat came in for the day. We were provided with gloves and trash bags for the activity and we divided into groups of four, so we could spread out and cover more of the beach. It took us an hour to get to most of the coast within our view. However, we realized that there wasn’t much trash on the beach compared to the ones you would see back home, even with our area being a tourist destination. This also gave everyone a chance to take in the scenery of the beach since not many people were out there and awake as early as us. This also gave our team a chance to appreciate nature and the satisfaction gained from taking care of it, which is something we all would like to take back home with us.

In the afternoon, we met with Professor Judy and had great discussions reflecting on the trip.  We talked about Costa Rican rituals that we have noticed; it was interesting to hear the different perspectives from our teammates.  Overall, another incredible day!  We are all so appreciative and grateful to be able to share this experience with our coaches and teammates!

DAY SIX (MARCH 20)

BY AHMARION MCLEOD AND CARLOS MOORE

On the sixth day in Costa Rica, we hopped on a catamaran cruise and had an amazing time. We spent hours swimming and snorkeling in crystal-clear waters, surrounded by beautiful marine life. As the day wrapped up, we watched the most stunning sunset, with the sky turning orange and pink. It was the perfect way to end a fun and unforgettable day.

DAY SEVEN (MARCH 21)

BY WILLIAM LANKFORD AND ISHMEL ATKINS

Friday was our last day in Costa Rica and an opportunity to relax and take in paradise one last time. We started our day around 8:30, got some breakfast in and prepared to go ATV riding on the Congo Trail. A 2-hour experience that let us travel within the mountains of the area. Leaving then was lounging time, rotating from the pool to the beach to the all-inclusive restaurant in Margaritaville. Meeting many new friends along the way and experiencing one last Costa Rican sunset, the team gathered together to take it all in and think about everything that's occurred on this trip. All we can say is Pura Vida.