][we are US Lacrosse THE SCOOP
>> THE 400K CLUB Call Us Maybe
USL constituent services staff offers friendly, helpful voice on other end of phone — in any language By Paul Krome
Lacrosse supporters praise the sport’s expansion in the West, but it’s the growth of the game in the Far East that made Modyssey Gray stand out at the 2011 US Lacrosse National Convention. Gray, a US Lacrosse constituent
services associate, flashed smiles, distributed goody bags and said thank you as nearly 6,500 people filed into the Baltimore Convention Center. What happened next time-warped her back to her international studies courses at Maryland.
“A Japanese woman approached. Her translator needed a guest badge,” Gray said. “At that point, I
>> USL AUGUST CALENDAR 1 Nominations due for the nine
USL Youth Awards (uslacrosse. org/YouthAwards) for individuals at the youth level. Applications due for the Michael Breschi Scholarship (
uslacrosse.org/HSPlayer) awarded to two high school senior players.
18 LACROSSE MAGAZINE August 2013>>
felt like I should let her know that I could speak Japanese so she’d feel more comfortable there. It was a cool experience and an opportunity for me to use the language. I could see her face lighten up when I introduced myself and told her I studied Japanese.” Gray, who joined US Lacrosse three years ago, also speaks Spanish and a little Korean. Her Japanese helped members of the Keio University team plan trips to the Lacrosse Museum and National Hall of Fame.
“I didn’t think I’d ever have the
opportunity to use Japanese here, but it’s been cool,” Gray said. “People ask
5
From left, the US Lacrosse constituent services team: Demany Leggett, Betsy Weiss, Jimmy Spamer, Celeste Diferdinando, Nicole Turner, Modyssey Gray, Robert Fairson, Susan Kellam, Kyle Carnaggio and Monique Johnson.
me, ‘You work at US Lacrosse. How do you ever get to use your Japanese?’ I say, ‘Well, actually, I have.’” Gray’s background compliments a team that fields incoming calls from members with questions about any aspect of US Lacrosse operations. Robert Fairson has a background in museums and archives. Celeste Diferdinando worked in customer service at Wegmans. Jimmy Spamer, an information technology professional, worked the scoreboards at M&T Bank Stadium and Oriole Park. Kyle Carnaggio played lacrosse in college and wanted to work at US Lacrosse. Recently the call center staff has assisted members during the transition to a new online membership management system. “We focus on what they’re saying and what they’re feeling on their end of the phone, then we can correct the
Tickets go on sale for the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame Induction Celebration at
uslacrosse.org/HOF.
15
The USL Coaching Education Program hosts a Train the Trainer clinic in Baltimore to certify new Level 3 trainers.
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Deadline for chapters to submit applications for a USL Chapter Grant. Info at
uslacrosse.org/chapters.
24 Semifinals of MLL Championship
Weekend in Philly. Get 15 percent off full-event tickets at
uslax.in/16U1zlQ.
©PAUL KROME
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