BREAK THROUGH
AN ESSAY BY CAROLINE UNGASHICK
Caroline Ungashick, 13, is a USA Lacrosse youth member from Overland Park, Kansas.
The day was bright and humid as Shakira stepped onto the field. Her eyes swept the rows of lacrosse fields that lay before her. She nervously looked for the familiar bright red jerseys that she’d come to know so well over the summer.
Shakira started to give up hope in finding her team, the Red Blazers, when she saw a sudden flash of red in her peripheral vision. She soon realized that the girl wasn’t one of her teammates, and soberly started to wander down the rows of fields.
“Maybe the games already started and my teammates don’t care,” Shakira thought anxiously. “I’m just a burden to the team, anyway. I don’t belong. I should probably go home and tell my parents that I don’t want to play lacrosse anymore.”
As if the timing was planned, a girl came running up to Shakira.
“Hey, Shakira!” she yelled. “It’s me, Kathlyn! Our teammates have been looking for you. The game is about to start, so we’d better hurry.”
The girl grabbed her hand and led them back to the field that read Number 8. Shakira thanked the girl and apologized to her team. She hurriedly got ready for the game, removing her hearing aids first.
She felt someone tap her shoulder.
“Shakira, look up,” the coach said.
She saw that all the girls on her team were lined up before her, signing to her in sign language. Her eyes welled up with tears.
“We’re glad you’re on our team, Shakira,” Mr. Mileys, the coach, said aloud. “We wouldn’t trade you for the world. You complete the team, and we wouldn’t know what we would’ve done without you. Thank you.”
Shakira sniffed and wiped away the tears that were streaming down her face. Maybe she did belong on this team, after all. Who said having a disability could stop a person from doing what she loved? As her mom would always say, “You can do anything you put your mind to, but your heart has to be in it, too.”
SHOW YOUR TALENT
SHARE YOUR ART
We accept submissions of lacrosse-themed art from youth and high school players — a great opportunity to express your passion for the sport!
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Drawing and illustration
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Painting
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Comic art
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Editorial cartoon
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Sculpture
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Digital art
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Photography
Email high-resolution (300 DPI) image files (JPG or PNG preferred) to freeplay@usalacrosse.com or tag us on social media (@USALacrosseMag).
WRITE ABOUT LACROSSE
Kids can also submit lacrosse-themed writing, including but not limited to:
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Flash fiction
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Personal essay
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Dramatic script
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Humor
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Poetry
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Short story
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Journalism
Email submissions (no more than 500 words) to freeplay@usalacrosse.com or tag us on social media (@USALacrosseMag).
PERMISSIONS AND RULES
Submitting these contents constitutes permission for USA Lacrosse to edit (for space, spelling, grammar and style) and publish them in USA Lacrosse-owned media properties. A minor must have a parent or legal guardian’s permission.
