Episode six of Behind the Shield, a seven-part documentary on the 2025 U.S. Men’s U20 National Team, gets deep into the on-field action from the World Lacrosse championship in South Korea.
Footage and highlights from pool play games against the Haudenosaunee Nationals and Australia lead into the first playoff game.
But there’s more going on off the field with sights and sounds from the team around Jeju Island. For one player, Jeju Island is a homecoming of sorts.
Jonathan Nurry, the father of USA player Rowyn Nurry, lived in an orphanage in Seoul, Korea until his was six, but his ancestors were originally from Jeju Island. At age 7, he was adopted by American parents and grew up in the USA in the Philadelphia area. Coming to Korea for the world championship was a chance for both father and son to reconnect with their roots.
“It’s kind of a surreal, full-circle moment for me to come all the way back here with my son playing the game that he loves,” Jonathan Nurry said.
“Bringing him back to where not only I was raised, but also where ancestry – it all comes back to Korea and specifically to this Jeju Island. I just thought it was an amazing moment. Just to be able to play with these caliber of players that he's playing with, I mean this team I think is exceptional. There's guys on this team that I believe are the best players in all of college lacrosse, let alone the age restriction. For Rowyn to play with these guys it's something that I know he's thrilled about and it's something that as a father i treasure as well.
Episode six wraps up setting the stage for the medal round of the world championship. The final episode will drop on the USA Lacrosse YouTube channel on Monday, March 2 at 12 noon.
