Akwesasne Indians facts for kids
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| Sport | Box lacrosse |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1996 |
| League | OLA Junior B Lacrosse League |
| Based in | Akwesasne |
| Arena | A'nowara'ko:wa Arena |
| Colours | Maroon, Black, and White |
| Owner | Carey Terance |
| Head coach | Brandon Francic |
| General manager | Roy Ledoux |
| Championships | Founders Cup (2015) |
| Division titles | 4 (2004, 2012, 2015, 2016) |
The Akwesasne Indians are a cool box lacrosse team for young players. They come from Akwesasne, a special place that sits right on the border between Canada (in Ontario and Quebec) and the United States (in New York). The Indians play in the OLA Junior B Lacrosse League, which is a league for junior players.
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The Akwesasne Indians: A Team's Journey
The Akwesasne team first joined the OJBLL in 1996. Back then, they were known as the Akwesasne Lightning. Other teams from the Iroquois people, like the Onondaga Warriors, also joined around that time. However, the Akwesasne team decided to stay in the OJBLL. They have since become one of the top teams in the league.
The team's home is the Akwesasne Reserve. This reserve is unique because it crosses the borders of Canada and the United States. Most other teams in their league are based only in Canadian cities.
After a tough first season in 1996, the Lightning improved a lot. They usually had more wins than losses until 2007. In 2004, they had a fantastic season. They won their first division title in the Eastern Conference. Their record was 17 wins, 1 loss, and 2 ties.
After the 2008 season, the team took a break for one year. This was because of money problems. They did not have enough funds to keep the team going. The team returned to play in 2010. In 2014, the team changed its name. They became the Akwesasne Indians.
Team Performance Highlights
The Akwesasne Indians have had many successful seasons. They have shown great skill and teamwork over the years. Here are some of their best achievements:
- In 2004, they won their first Eastern Conference division title.
- In 2012, they won another Eastern Conference division title. They also reached the league finals. That year, they earned a Silver medal at the Founders Cup.
- In 2015, they won their league championship. They also became the Gold medalists at the Founders Cup.
- In 2016, they won another Eastern Conference division title.
Founders Cup: National Championships
The Founders Cup is a very important tournament. It is the Canadian National Championship for Junior B box lacrosse teams. The Akwesasne Indians have competed in this championship multiple times.
2012 Founders Cup
In 2012, the Akwesasne Indians played in the Founders Cup. This tournament was held in Six Nations, Ontario. They had a great start in the round robin games. They won all four of their games. This placed them first in their pool.
In the semifinal game, they played against the Calgary Mountaineers. Akwesasne won with a score of 11-8. This win sent them to the Gold Medal Game. In the final game, they faced the Six Nations Rebels. It was a very close game, but Akwesasne lost 7-8. They earned a Silver medal for their amazing effort.
2015 Founders Cup
In 2015, the Founders Cup took place in Calgary, AB. The Akwesasne Indians had an incredible performance. They won all six of their round robin games. This made them the top team going into the finals.
They played against the Seneca WarChiefs in the Gold Medal Game. It was a very exciting match that went into overtime. The Akwesasne Indians won the game 9-6 in overtime! This victory made them the CHAMPIONS of the Founders Cup. It was a huge achievement for the team and their community.
