In August of 2025, F&M Men's Basketball took a team trip to Costa Rica. This first-class student athlete experience was possible with the help of Beyond Sports, a world leader in international sports tours for athletes.
"Basketball can create many great experiences and is a sport that can bring people together regardless of where you're from." - Will Moreau '26
DAY ONE
Our first day began with a tour of San José with our guides, showing us monuments, landmarks, and other important sites throughout the city. Afterward, we explored the downtown area on foot, stopping at a small marketplace filled with vendors selling souvenirs and local items. We then enjoyed a local restaurant with Costa Rican cuisine.
After our meal we headed to our first service event, teaching and playing basketball with a group of local special education youth. It was an amazing experience to see them having fun and enjoying our company. Huge shoutout to Logan Satlow who spent the entire time with one child who was having difficulty engaging with the group. Without being asked, he took it upon himself to work with that child and did an outstanding job.
Later in the evening, we departed for our game. Once arriving at the gym, and going through our pre-game routine, we tipped off in what turned out to be a tough, physical battle. Playing under FIBA rules added an extra challenge but we relied on what we do best, locking in defensively, dominating the boards, and executing on offense with purpose. Our opponents were no easy feat either, featuring a three-time D3 All-American, a thousand-point scorer, and several other talented, physical players. It took discipline, toughness, and trust in our style of play, but we pulled away to win by double digits and opened up the trip with a hard-earned victory.
-Asad Syed '27
DAY TWO
Our second day in Costa Rica began with a wonderful meal around the pool for breakfast. We then got on the bus and headed to our second community service event at a local school, where we worked with kids to help them improve their basketball skills. We focused on the basics, dribbling, shooting, passing, and defense. It was great to interact with the children, even with a language barrier, we all enjoyed the time playing basketball with the kids. They were full of energy and eager to be there. I’m glad we had the opportunity to help out within the community.
After the service, we made a quick stop for lunch where we enjoyed some delicious tacos before heading back to the hotel to relax before dinner and our second game. The time spent at these meals and on the bus is time well spent with each other. Once we arrived to the gym, we went through our routine and the game began. Many of the tough players from the night before played again, while adding a few others. We played hard and in another tough fought battle, were able to come out with the win. We ended the night back at the hotel, hanging out with each other, enjoying each other's company.
"The trip helped me to get even closer to my teammates and coaches. It gave us all an experience we will never forget" - Steve Donahue '28
DAY THREE
This was one of the most unforgettable days of the trip, packed with adventure, travel, and a few twists. On the long journey ahead, our first stop was La Paz Waterfall Gardens, a place we all looked forward to be at to enjoy the nature and animals. The first stop on my personal list was the wildlife exhibits, especially the monkeys and jungle cats. I’ll never forget the surreal moment when I found myself locked in a silent stare-down with a massive jaguar, both intimidating and breathtaking.
After soaking in the wildlife displays, I set out on the Waterfall Trail, which showcased three spectacular waterfalls. Each could be viewed from above before descending the trail to the base, where a cool mist filled the air. Standing at the bottom, with the roar of water echoing through the valley, was an incredible reminder of nature’s raw power.
We enjoyed lunch at La Paz before boarding the bus for our next stop in La Fortuna. About an hour into the trip, our bus came to a sudden stop along a winding mountain road, halted by a broken-down semi-truck blocking the way. Curious, a few of us stepped off to get a closer look and struck up conversations with drivers from the vehicles ahead, sharing in the unexpected pause to our journey. We eventually rolled into La Fortuna, quickly changed into bathing suits, and headed straight to Baldi Hot Springs. Between the pools, the slides, and the general atmosphere, it turned into an unforgettable team bonding night. We ended the evening with dinner at the hot springs before heading back to the hotel, tired but happy, ready to rest up for another day of adventure in Costa Rica.
-Carter Lawrence '27
DAY FOUR
Day four began by waking up for a delicious breakfast with fresh pancakes, eggs and plantains. After that we headed back on the bus, for a ride that was filled with jokes, laughter, and songs. After heading to a local market, we ate delicious beef and chicken plates. Then back on the bus to go to the Crocodile Bridge, where we saw countless crocodiles, including a fight between two - something that was incredible to witness.
We made our way to our final spot, where we quickly dumped our things in the room and headed to the beach as a team. At the beach, we played futbol and wrestled in the water, embracing the beautiful area that we had arrived to. Then we headed to dinner where we had pizza and shared more laughs before dancing at the hotel restaurant with each other until we decided it was time to go back and get a great night of sleep before our exciting day ahead tomorrow.
"This trip summarized what makes our program so special. We bonded on and off the court exemplifying our unity as a group and what has made us so successful." - Logan Satlow '26
DAY FIVE
Day five was an extremely exciting day at the beach and at a town called Jaco. Upon arriving to the beach, I noticed the width of the water as well as the waves. The beach was clear and the water was warm. We all got a small surf lesson and then went into the water. I, and I'm sure many others, thought it would be easy, but that was not the case. After a few failed attempts, many of the guys conquered some waves, even AD Lauren Packer-Webster joined in on the fun.
In the town of Jaco, we all split up and found places to eat and shop. I enjoyed my meal before catching up with some other teammates and enjoying some time together in Costa Rica. After a while, we headed back on the bus, back to the hotel.
Late in the afternoon, we all went tubing on the water behind a speedboat. This was an extremely fun experience, especially seeing coaches and teammates hold on tight before being launched into the water. The sense of competition to hold on the longest was there, but we all got thrown off. The night was filled with laughter and some karaoke by my teammates. An unforgettable day.
- Franklin Jones '27
DAY SIX
To start our last full day in Costa Rica, I went to watch the sunrise on the beach. For the first time in my life, I was able to wake up and walk directly to the shore. As someone who loves nature, the experience of watching the waves hit the shore, hearing macaws and seeing raccoons, collecting seashells, and taking pictures of the beautiful scenery, all while feeling the sand on my feet, will stick with me for a lifetime. On my way back to my room, I ran into a local and had a short conversation with her in Spanish about the beaches, nature, and the reason I was in Costa Rica. Using the Spanish I learned in school in the real world was a great moment of cultural immersion.
After breakfast, it was time to go ziplining, another activity on this trip that I had never done before, but was more than excited to do. Everyone put their best foot forward, which made an already fun experience even more enjoyable. The views I saw while zooming through the forest were unforgettable. After, we ate lunch and headed to the beach. On the walk over, we saw both iguanas and monkeys relaxing , adding to the full nature experience. The beach, called “Playa Blanca,” had the clearest water I had ever seen. There, we all rode the waves and bonded as a team.
The day ended with our farewell dinner. The food and beverages were delicious, however, the most memorable part of dinner wasn’t the food, but sharing this moment of good conversation and laughter with the amazing people around me. This was a great conclusion the best trip I have ever been on and a very successful first time out of the country!
-Bryson Amos-Whitfield '28
WORDS FROM HEAD COACH NICK NICHAY
“The opportunity to take a trip like this with our team is a truly special experience. We were able to spend three days together on campus with some team workouts and culture building discussions. Those were days we had tremendous potential for marginal improvement and to get 1% better. What we strive for each day!"
“It was great to have extra time to get on the court with our players and have the competitive game experiences with our players once we got to Costa Rica. We played well and came out with two victories, while also experimenting with some new lineups and concepts. We had multiple players back on the court returning from injuries last season. It was really nice to see them out there competing! While the competition is a big positive of the time together, it is all of the other experiences that really make for a memorable and impactful experience."
“We have a very unified team, but when you share experiences and moments like we all did in Costa Rica it really strengthens our bond as a team. Whether it was seeing them step out of their comfort zone with zip lining or surf lessons, sharing team meals, or the laughs they shared during karaoke, I know they created memories that will last a lifetime. It will without a doubt make our team stronger and more connected as we navigate the challenges and adversity of a season in the Centennial Conference.”
“A big thank you goes out to all of our supporters that have made generous gifts to our program over the past few years. Those contributions are what makes something like this trip possible for our student-athletes.”