Saint Andrew’s lacrosse supports troops

By Mario Sarmento
SPORTS EDITOR

Sitting on the countertop in the Saint Andrew’s pavilion is a reminder of what the Scots are playing for, something bigger than their quest for a sixth straight boys lacrosse state title.

It’s an otherwise typical folder, the type you would see the boys open up to scribble notes in during class.

But taped across the front of the folder is a single sheet of paper on which words written in black ink in capital letters read, “LETTERS FROM IRAQ.”

Inside are all the correspondences made between the Saint Andrew’s lacrosse team and the Bravo Troop Bonecrushers, part of the First Squadron 75th Airborne Assault Regiment in Iraq, nicknamed the “Widowmakers.”

Scots coach Jeff Goldberg, whose parents both served in World War II and whose father died of melanoma at age 39 as a direct result, heard about an organization called Americans Supporting Americans from the lacrosse coach at St. Thomas Aquinas. It sounded like a good idea, so he signed his team up to support a troop stationed in Iraq.

“I just think it’s a trying time in the States,” Goldberg said. “They’re over there fighting for us and we have this glorious life. Just happy to pay back.”

The ASA was founded by Linda Patterson in 1967 when she had her hometown of San Mateo, Calif. “adopt” brother Joe Artavia’s unit in Vietnam to boost their morale. Tragically, Artavia died in a firefight trying to help a fallen trooper three weeks after the adoption took place. He was 19.
In recent years the organization has been twice revived, first during Desert Storm in 1990 and again in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

With Goldberg busy preparing for lacrosse season, it was one of the parents, Betsy McHugh, who was entrusted with connecting with the ASA.

McHugh soon got in touch with Commander Robert Gillespie, her contact within Bonecrushers, who are attached to the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, which is part of the 101st Airborne Division stationed in the southwest corner of Baghdad.

Gillespie sent McHugh a letter requesting items the soldiers wanted: beef jerky, small candies to throw to Iraqi children, Febreze spray, DVDs, disposable razors, magazines (cars, guns, outdoors, fitness, men’s) and hand sanitizer.

Using donations from parents on the lacrosse team, McHugh and the Scots sent 26 boxes of goods to Iraq.

Bo Lamon of Lacrosse Wear also donated 75 custom T-shirts with the Saint Andrew’s lacrosse logo on the front, and the Widowmakers logo on the back.

Soon, McHugh was receiving letters and e-mails from some of the soldiers expressing their gratitude for the items. They also received an e-mail with photos of various soldiers in the field.

“It’s very inspirational,” Saint Andrew’s midfielder Mike Lipin said. “You read the letters and look at just how much of a difference it makes for those guys.”

When McHugh gets a new letter, she reads it to the Scots after practices or matches.

“They get very emotional,” she said of the players.

The team has dedicated its season to the Bonecrushers. Each player wears a Widowmakers patch, while each coach has the logo dyed into his shirt. Not a day goes by when Goldberg doesn’t mention the unit on the practice field or after a match.

The players don’t have any ties to Iraq; no family members or friends they know who are fighting there. So this brings what had been a distant war right to their doorstep.

“I feel more emotionally attached now, because I have people over there I care about now,” Scots midfielder Lee Coppersmith said.

Midfielder Will Diamond is against the war, but he said, “I support them (soldiers). What they’re doing is noble.”

McHugh estimates the parents have spent “hundreds and hundreds” of dollars to buy and ship goods to Iraq for the troops, but they willingly make the sacrifices because it makes them feel as though they’re contributing something to the war effort.

The troops in turn are proud to support the top lacrosse team in the state, and their letters are peppered with references to the Scots’ undefeated start and statements that the troop itself is inspired by each Saint Andrew’s victory.

Goldberg and the players said they would love to have the soldiers visit and take in a match when they are finished with their tours of duty.

However, this is war, and the reality is some in the Bravo troop will not be returning.

Already, McHugh is concerned because it has been weeks since she received her last correspondence from Gillespie or anyone else in the unit.

The last troop letters arrived two weeks ago, and on Feb. 22, the Department of Defense sent a letter detailing the deaths of three soldiers in Baghdad Feb. 20 from the 101st Airborne.

It turned out the three soldiers were in the same regiment, but they were not in the Bonecrushers unit.

When asked if he was worried, Diamond said, “Yeah, definitely. They’re in war.”