NASHVILLE, Tenn. - When the Trevecca Nazarene women’s soccer team traveled to Jamaica for a mission trip over spring break, an opportunity of a lifetime arose. TNU embraced this chance and didn’t shy away from the prospect to grow as individuals and as a team.
The Trojans were scheduled to play twice during their trip and the first game began not long after the team’s arrival. Despite being jetlagged, weary and hot, the ladies were ready to give it their all for their first game against a community club team.
After rest from 24 hours of continuous travel and the match, the team set off to meet one of the world’s greatest athletes -- Usain Bolt. But because of the paparazzi’s presence surrounding the Olympic champion, it was suggested the team try a different time.
Lucky for TNU, the track star trains at the University of the West Indies, an institution the Trojans were competing against, and a halftime team picture occurred during that exhibition contest.
“It was really cool,” freshman midfielder Hannah Barney exclaimed in describing the team’s efforts meeting the Olympic sprinter. Bolt was more than happy to greet each student-athlete.
“It was definitely one of the coolest halftimes I’ve ever been a part of,” freshman midfielder Diana Corzine said with a laugh. “No big deal.”
The team traveled to Jamaica with an organization called Global Soccer Ministries (GSM), which gives it the opportunity to participate in programs designed to work with children. Mainly designed to make trips to schools to help with certain projects such as painting, the team also took joy in attending the Mustard Seed Community Orphanage.
They took the opportunity to interact with the kids and show them love.
The ladies wouldn’t have been able to show the amount of love they did to the children if it wasn’t for their strong bond as a team. “A team-building exercise on steroids” is how Corzine described it. Several teammates have been on mission trips in the past, but it was a learning experience for the freshmen who have never participated in one.
TNU head coach Mark Foster believes this trip prepared his team for next season, not just for soccer, but for each individual’s future.
“We want to use soccer to glorify God,” he said. “There were a few times when we were in Jamaica when I looked around and was just like, ‘Wow’.”
The knowledge of past trips from individuals before really helped as some members were dealing with stress being in a new place with such a packed schedule. Barney explained how she thought it was the perfect combination of newcomers and upperclassmen to help cope with the different changes.
“We were just helping each other out, and I think that really brought us closer a team,” she said.
Corzine credited group discussions every night as part of growing as a person. On the other hand, Barney described how different the culture and “seeing how happy and loving the kids were” makes her want to be bring that back home and spread that same happiness and love.
“It showed me God’s love in a more tangible way than I’ve ever experienced it,” Corzine said. “This mission trip doesn’t end whenever I leave Jamaica. I can love people wherever I go.”
Coach Foster explained his sense of pride in being proud of his entire team, especially ones that expressed their fear before they took flight.
“It’s beautiful watching these girls [help these children] without knowing them,” he said.
If it wasn’t for the planning and promoting efforts by the team going back to last fall, it would have been very difficult to have gone on the mission trip. The team began sending out letters in December asking people to make donations so they could make this trip a reality. Never having gone through the process before, Corzine and Barney were both nervous and scared they wouldn’t be able to raise enough funds in order to go.
The team took advantage of a home basketball game to set up a table and ask for donations. As another way to grow together, the team set up a cornhole tournament for the entire campus community to take part and raise money.
Barney and Corzine praised the welcoming attitude by everyone in Jamaica. If given the opportunity, both would go back in a heartbeat, or even bring their love to another place in need. Barney was nearly speechless in her attempts to describe how amazing her experience was with GSM and her overall involvement throughout the duration of the entire trip.
Corzine couldn’t find the exact words, but showed her appreciativeness, “It was worth [the time and effort] for the time we spent there,” she said.
“I didn’t want to leave.”