“You can miss a
lot by sticking to the point” – Hmong saying.
I love finding quotes that I can use to explain
my behavior. The quote above is from The Spirit
Catches You and You Fall Down, a book largely about
the Hmong, an ethnic minority group of Laos. The author notes
that the Hmong remind people at the beginning of their oral
narratives that “the world is full of things that may not seem
to be connected but actually are; that no event occurs in
isolation; that you can miss a lot by sticking to the point; and
that the story-teller is likely to be rather
long-winded.” Part of our tour in Laos was about
making friends with a number of Hmong and taking part in their
ceremonies. I have taken this quote as a justification for
what I’m sure will be an article that wanders far from the point
(whatever the point is).
The most bombed country in the world. Laos
is – per capita - the most bombed country in the world: per
Wikipedia, more bombs were dropped here during what we call the
Vietnam War, some call the Second Indochina War, and the Lao call
the War of 1964-1973, than by the USA in the whole of World War
II.
As part of the legacy of the bombing, there is unexploded ordnance
(UXO) all over huge areas of Laos and people (mostly children) are
still killed regularly when they step on them or inadvertently
handle them. They are often exposed when farmers clear the
land for new agriculture. Recently a family built a fire
unknowingly over a very shallowly buried bombsite and 4 members of
the family were killed when it exploded. Mines Advisory
Group (MAG) crews go out on a daily basis to search for them, but
they reckon at the current rate of searching it will be more than
100 years before all the suspect areas are covered.
This map shows Laos in its
environment, Southeast Asia.
Atlantis has previously
played in 6 tournaments in places on this map: Atlantis men in Singapore 2002,03,04 Atlantis women in Hong Kong 1996, Bangkok 2005, Malaysian
Borneo 2008 The red pointers indicate areas of Laos where we played
or visited
Sport in Laos. Sport in general is
not highly valued in Laos but some people are trying to change
this. ChildFund Laos, the representative office of ChildFund
Australia, is one of those. ChildFund is partnering with the Lao
Rugby Federation to use sport to deliver healthy living messages
and life skills as a way of achieving development outcomes.
In particular, they have found success working with women’s rugby
as a way of developing the self-confidence of girls and young
women throughout their target villages. Girls and women bear a
huge level of responsibility in the home, from collecting firewood
and water and working in the fields to cooking, cleaning and
looking after children. Girls usually do not have the chance
to participate in sport, but the collective commitment of
ChildFund and Lao Rugby to gender equality across all programming
has opened up significant opportunities for girls and young women
to participate in sport.
Girls at their traditional
job of carrying firewood Taken during our visit to Nonghet District
Rugby traveled throughout the world in the 19th and 20th centuries
as part of the legacy of British and French colonialism. The
French colonized Laos and it was they that introduced it
here. In the 1960s it became popular in both the university
and military communities of Laos but died out after the 1975
victory of the communist Pathet Lao. Persistence, however,
is often rewarded, and in response to renewed participation in the
1990s, the Lao Rugby Federation (LRF) was founded in 2001. Women’s
rugby was added in 2007 and both teams have had some successes at
the local Southeast Asia level.
Maggie, whom I coached at Princeton from 2004-06, has been in
charge of rugby in Laos as its Operations Manager and Technical
Advisor for the last couple of years and it was our connection
that made this tour possible.
Maggie Dillon scoring for Princeton vs.
Cornell, March 2006
Click on image to see the try
Atlantis. Atlantis is an
invitational rugby sevens side that I founded in 1986 to bring
players from different teams together on an ad hoc basis.
The reasons to do this and the benefits we seek have expanded from
the start year. Besides entering sevens tournaments at home
and in traditional rugby-playing countries, one of my goals is to
take Atlantis to the four corners of the earth – wherever rugby is
played (regardless of how mature or primitive, how important or
insignificant) – and provide our tour party with both rugby and
cultural experiences. We always go for the rugby; and though
our goal is always to play well, we always expect to come back
with a lot more than just the rugby. An article I wrote that
was published in the Surfside Sevens 2012 program, exploring the
benefits that sevens has brought us, may be found here: http://www.surfsidesevens.com/news/see-world-through-sevens
Atlantis has played in 138 tournaments, 87 of them outside the
US. We have been on 77 distinct tours to 30 foreign
countries (where “country” is defined loosely), specifically, in
chronological order by first appearance; they are
England, Scotland, Spain, New Zealand, Ireland, Northern Ireland,
Uruguay, Bulgaria, United Arab Emirates (Dubai), Trinidad &
Tobago, Fiji, Hong Kong, Japan, Australia, Argentina, Canada,
Netherlands, Portugal, Venezuela, Cuba, Cayman Islands, Brazil,
Singapore, Thailand, Paraguay, Malaysia, Italy, French Polynesia
(both Tahiti & Bora Bora), Mexico, and now Laos.
All these countries are seen in the flag logo on the back of the
jerseys that Atlantis wore at Las Vegas the week after the Laos
tourney. Starting with the USA at top center, the flags of
countries we visited extend clockwise to the Laos flag to the left
of the US flag.
Back of the Atlantis VII
jersey at Las Vegas 2013 The circle around the logo contains flags of all
countries Atlantis has visited
Back to the point of the article.
As a confluence of all these people and organizations – Maggie,
me, Lao Rugby, Atlantis, ChildFund – an American tour of Laos
became possible in early 2013 when a group of 16 Atlanteans
participated in an international tournament in Vientiane and in
several outreach activities in Xieng Khouang. So here’s the
story.
24 January to 4
February 2013. Vientiane Capital and Xieng Khouang, Laos
PDR. As part of my goal of taking Atlantis to
as many varied destinations as possible, I contacted Maggie to see
if we could participate in a sevens tournament in Laos. After
seemingly thousands of emails between Maggie, manager/physio Sarah
Sall, several players and me, we were en
route to Vientiane.
The Atlantis Women’s team toured Laos, played in a
sevens tournament in the capital, and participated in outreach
activities in the province of Xieng Khouang.
As opposed to most tours, where we build up to the rugby, on this
tour we played the tournament before most of us had been there 24
hours. We spent most of the next week in the northern province of
Xieng Khouang, from the Plain of Jars to the Vietnam border,
teaching rugby to youngsters – mostly girls and young women – in
tiny mountainous and isolated Hmong villages – as part of a bigger
effort by the Lao Rugby Federation and ChildFund Laos to show the
benefits of sport (in this case through rugby) in the lives of
young people; to show that sport – not yet highly valued in Laos –
matters.
The tournament was excellent and well organized, but meeting the village
children was indescribably wonderful. As noted, though we
always go because of the rugby, one of the goals is always to
return with more than that. From a cultural perspective,
this was probably the best Atlantis tour ever. I keep using
the word amazing to describe it, and that only because I don’t
know a better word.
Young Hmong children play
with rugby ball
Atlantis’ Dot Mittow is on left
Tour party. Our tour party comprised 16 members.
Sarah Sall, Manager and Physio. The
manager is always the person that does all the work, and Sarah
fit the role to a T. She also doubled as physio for the
team.
Sarah as we often saw her,
documenting everything to digital images
Sarah thanks Joy with Lao
“nop” (prayer position)
Sarah: “To be welcomed by a culture so
openly, in a country that had so much damage done to it only
decades ago is heartwarming.
“To say sport bridges cultures seems an odd
statement sometimes. But the truth is rugby … brought us to
Laos and allowed us to access villages and people we would not
have been able to see otherwise…. To be welcomed by a culture
so openly, in a country that had so much damage done to it
only decades ago is heart warming. … Emil summed it up by
saying, ‘I may go home and cry tonight, out of happiness that
is, watching these kids enjoy themselves so much.’”
Emil Signes, Emperor. As the founder of Atlantis, I
always tour as Emperor, a title with no definable powers or
privileges (but it sounds cool). I was also one of the
coaches.
Ray Cornbill and Chris Ryan. Ray was the
first-ever coach of the USA Rugby national team, and Chris has
served as assistant national sevens coach and now helps Julie
McCoy with the Women’s Sevens Olympic Development program. The
three of us provided whatever level of coaching you can get with
just one 45-minute practice, half-time
chats and after-game joint debriefs.
Ray: “I’ve been on many rugby tours
but this was decidedly different – cultural contacts superseded
the rugby but both enjoyable.
“Excellent organization and planning and a relatively small
touring party made the experiences more vital.
“The low point of the tour for me was being asked by Laotian
rugby official if I had coached the US Olympic Team that won the
gold medal.” [ed. note it was 1924]
Chris: “I have been on many rugby tours, but the trip to Laos is
the trip which will always be with me. The outreach work was a
life altering experience. It made me look at the world in a new
and different way.”
Ray, Chris, Emil Among us we have 100 years coaching
experience All this for one 45-minute practice ☺
Aileen Killen and Hannah Cavallin,
two hard-working supporters, rounded out the tour party.
Back in 1977, when my club, the Bethlehem Hooligans, started
playing sevens, Aileen and her friend Dana Bateman visited England
and spotted a book – Rugby Sevens, by Mike Williams, on coaching
sevens. Aware of my desire to get the Hooligans to play good
sevens, they brought it back, I immersed myself in it (yes, I
learned sevens from a book [don’t know whether to put a smiley
face or a frowning face next to that]), and … with many thanks to
Aileen and Dana I became a sevens coach. Just a year later, in
1978, the Bethlehem Hooligans became one of only two US teams to
win the Ontario Sevens in its 50+ year history.
Hannah was touring SE Asia with fellow Canadian
Heather van der Hoop. Also a rugby player, she was at the
time injured and unable to play.
L: Aileen during our tour of Vientiane temples
R: Hannah watching Hmong
dancers perform in the first village we
visited
Aileen: “Overall, the trip had the
same feeling deep in my soul as the medical missions I have been a
part of, and I am a better person for it.
“I joined the ChildFund Australia Global Community
Nonghet that is supporting Chris [Mastaglio]'s work there.” [Chris Mastaglio of ChildFund, mentioned
below.]
Hannah: “It was an honour to have had the opportunity to be
involved in the Nonghet project … [it] is a cause that will remain
very close to my heart, and one that I will continue to fight for
and support long after I have left this breathtaking,
awe-inspiring country.”
The 10 players of our team included – as a tribute to Maggie – 3
Princeton alums and 2 current Princeton players. And 2 Princeton
coaches.
Lauren Rhode, Princeton, was our captain. The first
5-year player I have coached at Princeton, Lauren was selected
Princeton captain when she was just a sophomore.
Lauren reacts to arriving in the Lao National
Stadium. Poor quality (camera was in process of crashing), but I love the picture.
Lauren kicks off vs. Issan Barbarians
Casey on the
right
Lauren: "In the earliest stages of planning
the Laos tour, I recall Emil telling me that rugby might give me
the reason to meet new teammates and experience a different world,
but what I would get in return would far exceed the rugby. I
underestimated the truth and power of his insight. Despite
having been blessed with past opportunities to travel worldwide,
our trip to Laos impacted me deeply.
"The Lao
people’s kindness, generosity, and acceptance of us – especially
as Americans, given the unfortunate history of U.S. bombs
dropped on Laos forty years ago that still threaten lives daily
– were overwhelming.The
team chemistry was extraordinary, especially as I reflect on the
fact that we had known each other for less than two days before
taking on the Thai National Team; the chemistry became stronger
as each day passed.
"But our ten days in Laos have had a much longer-term impact on
me as well. Many years ago, I began to think that I would commit
to a career in public service, and since then, I’ve been proud
to think that I may in some way live up to Princeton’s motto,
“In the nation’s service and in the service of all nations.”My academic focus has
been on war/peace studies, which has opened the doors in the
defense and diplomacy.Opportunities
at the U.S. Department of Defense have increasingly pulled me in
that direction. But in Vientiane and especially Nonghet, I
witnessed the profound impact that ChildFund Laos and the Lao
Rugby Federation are having on hundreds of Lao communities.
"I have spent
the months since our return revisiting again and again the
contrast between their grassroots work and that being done at
the state-to-state level. In this sense, the Atlantis rugby tour
in Laos led me to fundamentally alter my career goals – as Emil
said, we went for the rugby, but gained so much more."
Karen Backenstose, Keystone. One of our two most veteran
players. Solid player that knows what she needs to do and
does it.
Karen at cave in the Plain of Jars
Karen: “I really had no
expectations of our journey except to see some rugby and meet
some great people. I didn’t expect to play much, and I
played way more than I was in shape for. I didn’t expect
to play with so many great girls, and I am lucky to have run on
the pitch with them. I didn’t expect to be treated so
grandly, and I really feel like Luna, Maggie, Nalada and Chris
[Mastaglio] went the distance to help us not only feel
comfortable but appreciated and special. I didn’t expect
to have much interaction with ‘the coaching staff,’ but I had
such nice meals and heart-felt conversations with Ray, Aileen,
Chris Ryan and Emil. I didn’t expect to understand much of the
local traditions, but we were included in touching ceremonies
and really had a chance to experience some of the Lao culture
that wouldn’t have been possible unless we lived there for a
while.“
Brittany Bruder, NOVA. A last-minute addition to
the team, Brittany is a recent Boston College grad that brought
athleticism and I believe an ability to play at the next level.
Brittany stands in tackle and
passes to Dot
Brittany: I was extremely excited about
going on tour with Atlantis since I had heard so many great
things about Emil as a coach, the amazing travel exposure, and
simply because I was excited to play my favorite sport
internationally for the first time. I had such high expectations
that I didn't think they could be exceeded; however I got so
much more out of my experience in Laos with Atlantis than I
could ever have imagined. To be able to take rugby out of the
arena in the capital and use it to reach out to children and
villagers I would never have met if I had traveled there on my
own was both incredibly uplifting and very humbling. It was more
than a Rugby tour, it was an experience I will carry with me for
a lifetime.
Sara Edwards, Glendale. Sara was a member the All-Star U-23
Sevens team Chris and I coached in 2004 when she was but 19.
Sara running with kids at village outreach
session
Sara: “Traveling to Laos has been the most
humbling and insightful experience in my life so far (and
probably for the rest of my life).... Although I was
desperate for cheeseburgers, milk, and safe tap water by the end
of the tour, I would not have traded it for anything. This
tour has made me a better person.”
Casey Gallagher, Singapore Bucks. Casey graduated from
Princeton in 2007 and has continued to play while living in Hong
Kong and now Singapore.
Casey
after the final of the Vientiane International Rugby
Championship
Casey: In our chaotic lives (or at
least mine) I seem to always be busy with tasks, errands, and
"things I need to do," that I too often miss out on the things
that really matter - a call home to my parents, writing a
birthday card for a friend, and even sitting down to reflect on
this tour. What I loved about Laos most (and there was so much
to love - from breathtaking vistas, to deliciously spicy food,
to genuine smiles on faces young and old) was the wonder and
appreciation so evident and so plentiful for the things most of
us in the developed world take for granted.
Having a few brief minutes to play, on safe ground, was a gift
for the children we met. When you contrast their happiness with
those of us upset we don't have the latest tech toy or newest
designer look, you have to wonder if many of us are missing the
point. When you strip our lives of all the things "we need" -
from items to buy and to do lists to get through, there is so
much joy in simply reflecting with friends, running outside and
playing together, be it competitive or not. I've tried to carry
this with me upon my return to a hectic modern life, but it's a
work in progress! I must also note my admiration for what Maggie
has done and continues to do in Laos (along with all those
working there with her) - having hundreds of children turn up to
play with us is a testament to them.
Finally, I am so thankful I got to briefly be a part of that
magic thanks to Emil and Atlantis.
Tracy Gola, At Large. I first coached Tracy when she
played for the Lehigh Valley Maulie Maguires about 15 years
ago. She’s now a coach herself and has coached the West 7s
team. Time goes on.
Now that’s she’s moved west, Tracy’s a troublemaker with a 16,000 kip
reward on her head
Tracy: “I can't put into words how
amazing this tour was. I didn't think anything would top
Borneo [Atlantis 2008 tour], but this did by 1000 times.
People asked me when I got home, "How was Laos?" and the only
word I could come up with was AMAZING*. It truly was the
trip of a lifetime. One that I will never forget and I am
thankful that I was part of. Thanks to Maggie and
ChildFund, we truly got to embrace and be emerged in the culture
of Laos. This was definitely a learning experience for me!”
* I've ended up getting stuck on this word ("amazing")
myself. -
Emil
Heather van der Hoop, Vancouver Meralomas. Heather is
another Princeton grad, class of 2007, and she and Hannah just
“happened” to be touring SE Asia at the same time we were making
this trip.
Heather gets a “high five”
from one of the kids Lao Kang, whose village this is, stands
behind her
Heather: “When we arrived at the first
village in Nonghet where we were to lead rugby outreach
activities, I couldn’t believe my eyes. Scarcely 20 metres
from the school’s playing field, which was full of excited youth
tossing rugby balls and volleyballs around, a team of workers
was busy planting yellow poles in the ground to mark items of
unexploded ordnance (UXO).”
Dot Mittow, Princeton. Dot, Princeton’s current #8, has
been a national age-group player since her freshman year.
L: Dot’s game face R: Dot respecting those Princeton study
habits (even if it is Lord of the Rings)
Dot: "Hmm, ... "
Misha Renda, At Large. Misha, Princeton
2006, came out of retirement to join this tour.
Princeton alums – Casey ‘07 and Misha ’06 –
reunited
Misha: “Despite them not
having many of the comforts and privileges we take for granted
in the US, the fields we played on were full of smiles, and
there was a palpable community bond that attested to an
appreciation for simpler joys in life.
“Since my return, my boss has remarked on several occasions
about the personal ‘zen’ I've maintained for the last few
weeks, despite coming back to a number of chaotic situations.
“This has been the most eye-opening and
memorable trip, of any kind, I've ever been on.
“Lastly, I would mention that I was very pleasantly
surprised by how beautiful and peaceful Laos is, despite all
that it and its people have been through.
“I will relish this tour as probably the only time in my
life that I will be commonly referred to as "Sweetie.”
Josie Ziluca, NOVA. One of those great
combinations in sevens, a prop-wing, Josie unfortunately tore
her ACL on the last play of a Serevi camp scrimmage the week
before the tour ☹ but came nonetheless and was a vital part of
the team.
Josie laughing with the kids at one of our
outreach sessions
Josie: “The trip to Laos was one
of the best experiences of my life and really opened my eyes to
another part of the world.”
Additional people, our hosts, without whom the tour wouldn’t
have been nearly as successful, include the following, all of
whom accompanied us during the entire tour:
Maggie Dillon, Technical Advisor, Lao Rugby
Federation (LRF). Our main woman. This tour wouldn’t
have been possible, let alone so wonderful, without Maggie, her
enthusiasm and her connections.
Maggie at coaching session in Nonghet Village 1
Maggie: “On behalf of the entire
Lao Rugby family, from the newbies in
Nonghet to our President, who was especially excited to
present a trophy to the American team ... thank
you for your tremendous efforts to make it over to Laos and for
being such a respectful, patient, considerate, generous and
good-humored touring party while you were here.” Chris Mastaglio, Country Director, ChildFund Laos:
a Geordie from the north of England and also the FH for the Lao
national team.
Chris has been the patron saint of rugby in Laos over the past
eight years, when he came to Vientiane on vacation. He
never left. Over the past several years Chris has helped
the Federation develop from a two-person operation running out
of his house to what it is today: a Federation with full
recognition from the Lao Ministry of Education and Sport and an
active, highly regarded member of the Asian Rugby Football
Union.
Chris during the entertainment at Village 1
Nalada Phomvixay,Global Supporter and Communications Liaison,
ChildFund. Nalada was a super resource throughout,
especially in the Hmong villages of Xieng Khouang where she not
only translated but also gave us some cultural insight
Nalada with Dot and Britt during tour of
Vientiane
Keoviengsay Phomphakdy, Operations
Manager, Lao Rugby Federation. Keo is a finance wizard
with excellent English, who recently joined the LRF team as
Operations Manager. Though Keo has limited exposure to
rugby, her willingness to learn, enthusiasm and experience are
sure to make her a valuable asset at the LRF for years to come.
Keo and Lao Kang in Lao Kang’s village
Lao Kang, Community Development
Volunteer, Lao Rugby Federation. Lao Kang is a 22-year old
player and youth leader, our constant companion during this trip
and resident of one of the villages in which we conducted
outreach activities. She is ambitious and eager to learn
English.
Lao Kang enjoying the outreach activity in her
village The other person in the picture is another
Lao Youth Leader, Ja Toa
Here is a video clip of Lao Kang trying to learn
English from Sara.
Lao Kang learns
English: click image for a link
Luna Syhanath, Liaison Officer, Lao
Rugby Federation. Luna was the team’s liaison officer for
the week and put dozens of hours into planning and preparing for
the logistics of the Atlantis tour on the ground in Vientiane. She
has previously worked with the Lao Rugby Federation as a VIP
Liaison Officer for the Asian Women’s 15s championships as well as
the Lao Women’s National Team Manager for their tour to Manila to
play in the Asian Women’s 4 Nations.
Luna in Atlantis kit and Tracy
Megan Knight (#800). Another American working in Laos with
whom we spent a lot of time was Megan Knight. Megan has
worked as the LRF’s Sponsorship and Marketing Coordinator
on a voluntary basis over the past three years, in addition to
managing the Men’s National Team and the Lao Nagas touring side
and holding down several other jobs.
From the first time I met her, I knew she looked familiar and
while reviewing lists of Atlantis players I spotted her name and
then I remembered: she had played for Atlantis in 2008 in Cape
Fear when she was playing at Colorado. Sarah Sall had been
contacting people by their Atlantis number (I had assigned these
chronologically) for an event in Las Vegas; Megan it turns out is
Atlantis number 800.
