When sisters Izzy and Maggie Keyes were growing up, their grandmother, Jana, lived with them in their Belmont home. From her, the two girls learned all about their family’s Czech heritage.
A half-decade after her passing, the Belmont residents carry her memory and the family’s Czech legacy when they play for the Czech Republic’s national lacrosse team. Recently, they participated in a strong performance at the Women’s European Sixes Qualifier in Portugal that clinched a berth to August’s World Games.
“We definitely had a sense of our Czech culture through our grandmother, but it was hard to put together the pieces of what it actually means,” Izzy said. “When I went to Prague for the first time last summer [for the European Championships], that really connected the dots and brought me closer to my heritage.
”I wish my grandmother was still here to see what we’ve been doing, but I know she’d be really proud of us and would love that we’re playing for the Czech team.”
Izzy, a 5-foot-9 senior attacker, and Maggie, a 6-foot junior midfielder, attend Dexter Southfield in Brookline, where they also play varsity field hockey. Izzy attended Belmont Public Schools through sixth grade, and Maggie through fourth grade. They both played for Belmont Youth Lacrosse from grades 2 through 8. Outside of school lacrosse, they play on the club circuit for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-based HHH (Head, Heart, Hustle) Lacrosse.
The sisters received Czech citizenship via their mother, Michelle, whose grandfather, Jan Pliczka, served as an intelligence officer in World War I and joined the partisan resistance in World War II. The communist takeover rendered him an enemy of the state and subject to imprisonment.
Jana, her brother, and her mother came to the United States during the Prague Spring in 1968, a time of liberalization and reform in what was then-Soviet-dominated Czechoslovakia. Czech journalist Pavel Urban recently told the full family story for iSport.cz.
Keeping Czech pride and traditions remains with the family generations later. Michelle regained citizenship at the turn of the century. She applied for her daughters’ citizenship when renewing her own passport.
“I never imagined that starting with Belmont youth lacrosse in second grade would lead to their passion for the sport of lacrosse and connect them to my Czech heritage,” Michelle said. “Seeing them represent the Czech Republic fills me with overwhelming happiness. The pride the players feel to represent their country is inspiring, and I know my mom, who passed in 2020, would have been so proud and would have loved to watch them play for her country.”
Izzy joined the Czech team during last year’s European Championship. Maggie debuted this month. The sisters learn the language from their teammates. Separate visits to Prague bolstered the sisters’ collective desire to learn more.
Explaining Sixes Lacrosse
Created in 2021 by World Lacrosse, the global governing body for the sport, sixes lacrosse halves the number of field players in standard women’s lacrosse from 12 per side to six. Played on a smaller field and with a shorter game time compared to standard lacrosse, sixes will make its Olympic debut at the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles.
Scheduled for Aug. 7-17 in Chengdu, China, The World Games feature an eight-team field representing Czechia, Ireland, Australia, Canada, Great Britain, Japan, United States and China.
“Lacrosse is so big in the U.S., but in the Czech Republic, it’s not big at all, so it was really cool to get to know other girls through a mutual sport,” Maggie said. “It meant so much to the people when we qualified for The World Games.”
They’re the only two players on the team not born and raised in the country. Neither speaks Czech fluently, though Maggie’s learning through Duolingo. Izzy admits it was a bit “nerve-wracking” at first, but she settled in after practicing with the team and connecting with some teammates who also spoke English and translated for her. Both quickly picked up the on-field Czech words and coaching points.
Both are high-honors students. Izzy will play Division I lacrosse at Brown University, where Michelle and their father, Mike, went and competed in tennis and ice hockey, respectively. Maggie is committed to play lacrosse at Dartmouth College.
The demanding schedule of Division I sports doesn’t allow for traditional semester-long study abroad opportunities. For the Keyes sisters, sport as a way to learn about their heritage works just fine.
“Without lacrosse, we never would’ve gotten this opportunity,” Izzy said.
“It’s a cool way to travel because you’re playing a sport and going to places you never would’ve otherwise,” Maggie added.
