Florence Fernandez Prato,
expert in sports neuroscience and hockey coach, and María Paz Rodríguez Senese, official youth defender in the San Isidro Judicial Department
,
met at
Club Atlético San Isidro (CASI)
, and
founded the integrative project "Cuida la Bocha":
the first program to bring hockey to women's prisons in Buenos Aires.
The
The main idea is
social reinsertion through sport,
which allows to account for the different fundamental values such as camaraderie and discipline.
From this initiative came the name
"Las Lobas"
, the first hockey team in a context of confinement that went out to participate in tournaments, games and training sessions at a club, outside of jail.
One of its former participants who is now free was inspired by this proposal and leads a sports project in her neighborhood.
"The mission of Cuidá la Bocha is to generate a transformation in women deprived of their liberty through their system of beliefs and values towards themselves and towards the community. Begin to look at and think about the community from another side, which is not stop from the place of victims," said Florencia.
Las Lobas players on the Club San Fernando substitute bench.
In the first instance, the two founders began the process of
searching for volunteers to enter the prison to give classes.
Fernández Prato recounted: "Except for Paz, none of the people we entered into this world had entered a prison before.
Helga Tartari, Andrea D'allaglio and Clara Badano
accompanied us from the beginning of the learning process."
In
2019
it all started thanks to Rodriguez Senese who had a link with San Martín Penitentiary Unit 46, was in charge of defending a man inside that complex.
With which, he took advantage of the situation and
approached the prison service to discuss the sports project.
"We introduced ourselves to the girls deprived of their liberty, we asked them if they were encouraged to be part of this project and if they knew the sport. Most of them had not played hockey or knew what it was about, but after learning about it they loved it", recounted Fernandez Prato.
Members of take care of the bowl Helga Tartari, Andrea D'allaglio and Clara Badano
As time went by,
more and more volunteers joined as well as donations of clubs, shin guards, bowls and cones
.
The trainings began in September 2019, and since then they have been held once a week with the visit of the project staff.
“From the first day we promised to be there and we never miss it.
We believe that by example is how the word is sustained”, Florencia commented.
Trainings are held on Mondays from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. and participants
about
80 women
.
They are divided into four women's pavilions in which the trainers rotate
every 50 minutes.
The name
"Las Lobas" arose from a tattoo of one of the team's references.
"They chose it because it seemed significant to all of them," added Fernández Prato.
The first match they played outdoors was at Buenos Aires Cricket & Rugby Club (Biei), in December 2019, and the second at the Hurling Club on March 8, 2020, prior to the pandemic.
Some of the players from "Las Lobas" with the former Best Goalkeeper in the world and the Argentine national team.
