Costa Rica Lax & Serve

First-Time Applicants Apply Here Returning Players Apply HereTrip Info Packet Why We ServeRead Player Stories

Since 2002, SixFifty director Matt Bond has been leading teams of high schools students from Orange County and the Bay Area on life-changing and adventurous trips to San Jose, Playa Nosara, Playa Samara, and Lake Arenal to serve local communities, facilitate education programs, and work on construction projects to benefit under-served communities. These trips have always included exciting travel, high adventure, great friendships, and the opportunity to make a lasting difference in the lives of children and adults in Costa Rica. Our long-term partnership with the Costa Rica Lacrosse Federation began with our first Lacrosse-specific trip in 2012. For over a decade, SixFifty teams have invested time, energy, relationships, and resources in growing the game and serving the local community in a culturally-immersive experience. Our local news has covered our trip at “In Menlo” HERE and you can listen to a Podcast interview with Matt about the trip HERE. This year’s SixFifty trip offers high school & college lacrosse players a number of opportunities:

Experience the beauty of a tropical paradise and play lacrosse in a cross-cultural environment.
Compete in the Costa Rica Lacrosse Federation’s annual summer tournament against the Costa Rica national team and other visiting teams from the U.S.
Spread the game of lacrosse by running numerous clinics for elementary school children in Playa Samara.
Participate in painting and construction work projects with our 501(c)3 partners Roblealto Children’s Orphanage and Asociacion CREAR
Hands-on experience learning the significance of living a socially conscious life and how to positively impact the world.
Of course, this is Costa Rica! Surfing (with optional lessons), jungle canopy zip line tours, beautiful hikes, beach bonfires and BBQ’s, and much more!

Logistics:

This trip is open to high school & college-aged young men who have a desire to play lacrosse and serve others in a cross-cultural environment. Additionally, applicants should have a demonstrated history of maturity, leadership, service, and ability to interact positively in a dynamic team environment. Preference will be given to upperclassmen. Attendees must be fully Covid-vaccinated and boosted.

Process:

Interested players should Apply Here to fill out the trip application. Applicants will be contacted to schedule an interview.

Cost:

Trip Cost is $3,950 – All-Inclusive in-country includes airfare, hotel lodging, 3 meals per day (hotel and restaurant), ground transportation, field rentals/tournament fees, supplemental travel health insurance, surfing lessons, surfboard rental, zip line canopy tour, local guide staff, and more.

Fundraising:

We’re partnering with Piggybackr.com to enable trip participants to raise necessary funds. Piggybackr allows participants to fundraise via email, social networks, text messages, and good old fashioned phone calls. Please click HERE to see the SixFifty Piggybackr site For questions and more information, please email Matt Bond at mtbond@jhu.edu.

Costa Rica is a magical place filled with beauty, natural wonder, and an amazing culture. Native Costa Ricans, or ‘Ticos,’ call it Pura Vida. Similar to Hawaiian Aloha & Fijian Bula, Pura Vida (Pure Life) encapsulates the good life: friends, family, health, joy, and well-being. But did you know that research shows Costa Rica is consistently one of the happiest and healthiest places on earth?

In 2005, National Geographic demographic researchers identified five regions on earth, called “BLUE ZONES,” with an exceptionally large population of centenarians (100+ years). Research showed that the unusually longer life spans enjoyed by these populations is attributed to five factors: strong family connections, local availability of a natural diet, constant moderate exercise, engagement in community spiritual life/sense of purpose, and temperate climate.

The cultures and populations of these Blue Zones are some of the happiest and healthiest people on earth!

Sardinia, Italy
Okinawa, Japan
Loma Linda, California
Icaria, Greece
Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica (Playa Samara)

The HAPPY PLANET INDEX is the New Economics Foundation measure of human well-being & environmental impact. In research terms, human well-being is considered an average of life-satisfaction, life expectancy at birth, and ecological footprint per capita. In 2009, Costa Rica was the best scoring country of the 143 analyzed and continues to be at the top of the list.

Costa Rica is also the only country to meet all five United Nations Development Program criteria to measure environmental sustainability and identified as the “greenest” country in the world in 2009. In 2016, 98% of its electricity was generated from green sources and the country plans to be entirely carbon-neutral by 2021. Over 25% of the country is protected national forest and Costa Rica spends significantly more than the world average on education (97% literacy rate) and health care (longer life-expectancy than the U.S).

All this adds up to one of the most unique places on earth! The warmth of the people, the beauty of the land and sea, amazing food and culture have all contributed to life-changing experiences for our visiting Lacrosse players! ¡PURA VIDA!

Where we’re staying:

Near the center of the village of Samara, the Tico Adventure Lodge is just 100 yards from the beach and a short walk to restaurants and services. The Lodge has a pool, game room, and restaurant. You can learn more about the Tico Adventure Lodge by clicking HERE.

About Playa Samara:

Located on the Nicoya Peninsula in the Northwest of Costa Rica, Playa Samara is an idyllic and inspiring tropical setting with ocean water temperature around 85F. Nestled between the clear blue waters of the Pacific Ocean and lush, jungle-covered hills, Samara is a vibrant and tranquil community that travelers always fall in love with. You can learn more about Playa Samara by clicking HERE.

About Student Cultural Exchange:

The mission of Student Cultural Exchange is to provide immersion-based travel opportunities that help transition eager young minds into caring, socially conscious global citizens. Their varied program options are designed to give American and international student travelers the opportunity to develop deep, lifetime connections with previously unknown people and places. By exposing student travelers to positive experiences and role models from around the world, Student Cultural Exchange aims to affect gradual, deep-seeded change in students’ world view and understanding of the diverse paths available to them on life’s journey. Student Cultural Exchange is built on the premise that this sort of influence is not only possible, but essential to a young person’s development and growth. You can learn more about Student Cultural Exchange by clicking HERE.

About Asociacion CREAR:

The mission of La Asociación CREAR is to provide supplemental educational, recreational, and career opportunities for community members, primarily youth with limited resources, in the rural beach communities surrounding Playa Sámara in Guanacaste, Costa Rica, by offering a wide variety of innovative programs focusing on academic and artistic education, environmental consciousness, health, and socio-cultural development. You can learn more about Asociacion CREAR by clicking HERE.