This summer, Danny Tapia(11) will be using his phenomenal skills and the values of the Parkland Boys’ Lacrosse team to compete on the national stage with the U20 Puerto Rico Men’s Lacrosse team. Tapia is thrilled to fully embrace and represent his heritage. However, this is not the first time he has earned the opportunity to compete with the Puerto Rico national team, as he played on the U13 team in 8th grade and was invited back to play on the U15 team from 9th to 10th grade. This past August, he tried out for the U20 Men’s team, where in the end, he was one of the three out of 40 who made it.
Tapia hasn’t always been focused on embracing his heritage, but he found a passion for representing Puerto Rico and his family through playing the sport he loves. He said, “All my life, I was not big on embracing my heritage, but when I heard I had the opportunity to play for this team, it changed my views. I thought about how my grandparents worked so hard to get me to the place I am now. Without them, none of this would have been possible.”
Another perk of competing with the Puerto Rico national team is traveling to new countries and giving back to the island. In June, he will travel to Puerto Rico to practice with the team and spread the game of lacrosse by giving away gear and apparel. Lacrosse is a growing sport in Puerto Rico, and the national team hopes to expedite its growth. Then, in August, the team will travel to South Korea to play in the U20 World Lacrosse Championship Games against top players across the globe representing their country.
Tapia has been making a name for himself in the Lehigh Valley since his Freshman season. Last year, as a Sophomore, he assisted on 18 goals and had 28 of his own. Tapia is aiming to take the values and high standards of the Parkland Men’s lacrosse team to the Puerto Rico national team this summer. “Parkland Lacrosse is huge on the theme of being a family. Being that we’re all of the same nationality, [forming a strong bond] will come easy to all of us since we truly are one big family who have each other’s backs,” he said. The team is united by one goal: to compete against the best in the world while representing their heritage. Tapia will form a new family that will develop him as a player and person.
Before competing againts national competition, Tapia must continue to help Parkland men’s lacrosse produce and pursue success in a highly competitive Lehigh Valley league. This summer, while most teens will be lying around or tanning on a beach in the heat, Danny Tapia will be in the heat of Puerto Rico, representing his heritage and giving back to his ancestors while playing the sport he loves.
