First Nations Lacrosse Association facts for kids
| Sport | Lacrosse |
|---|---|
| Jurisdiction | National |
| Abbreviation | FNLA |
| Founded | 1983 |
| Affiliation | Lacrosse Canada |
| Affiliation date | 1988 |
| Headquarters | Cornwall, Ontario |
| President | Brian Phillips |
| Men's coach | Mark Burnam (2018 WLC) |
| Women's coach | Ashley Pike (2017 WLWC) |
| Official website | |
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The First Nations Lacrosse Association (FNLA) is a special group. It manages the sport of lacrosse for First Nations people in Canada. It also helps Native American tribes in the United States. The FNLA was once known as the Iroquois Lacrosse Association.
The FNLA is very important because it looks after five national lacrosse teams. These teams are recognized by World Lacrosse. This means they can play in international competitions. They are the only national teams for indigenous peoples allowed to compete in any sport!
The FNLA also helps run three men's box lacrosse leagues. These include the Can-Am Senior B Lacrosse League, the Three Nations Senior Lacrosse League, and the First Nations Junior B Lacrosse League.
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Haudenosaunee National Lacrosse Teams
The Iroquois Nationals men's lacrosse team started in 1983. The Grand Council of the Haudenosaunee created it. They played their first friendly games at the NCAA championship. These games were in Baltimore, Maryland.
Before the 1984 Summer Olympics, the Nationals hosted a special event. It was called the Jim Thorpe Memorial Games and Pow-Wow. Six teams, both local and international, played in Los Angeles. The Nationals won their first game against the national team of England. The next year, they toured England using their special Haudenosaunee passports. They only lost one game during that tour.
In 1986, the International Lacrosse Federation (ILF) did not let the Iroquois join. So, the Iroquois hosted preliminary games for the World Games. These games were held at the University of Buffalo. In 1988, the ILF finally accepted the Iroquois as a full member nation.
The Iroquois Nationals played in their first international event in 1990. This was at the World Lacrosse Championships. They finished in fifth place. In 2015, the first official U17 box lacrosse friendly happened. It was between the Iroquois Nationals and Team Canada. This took place during the World Indoor Lacrosse Championship.
Nike Partnership
In 2006, the Iroquois Nationals Lacrosse Program made a deal with Nike, Inc.. Nike agreed to provide uniforms, clothing, footwear, and other gear. Nike also promised to create programs. These programs would help promote health and fitness in Native American communities. Team members might also visit local groups to speak.
Team members also help test sportswear for Nike. They test items made in a sustainable way. This helps Nike research how to use non-toxic dyes. They also look into using biodegradable organic cotton.
Nike is the only big company like this to work with a Native American group. The Iroquois Nationals are the only group with such a partnership.
Travel Challenges
The Nationals faced problems traveling to the 2010 World Lacrosse Championship. This event was held in England. The United Kingdom did not accept their Iroquois passports. Because of this, the Nationals could not play their first three games.
In 2015, the Haudenosaunee Nationals women's under-19 team had a similar issue. They had to pull out of the 2015 U19 World Lacrosse Championship. This tournament was in Scotland. The same passport problem stopped them from attending.
Team Name Change
In 2022, the team officially changed its name. It went from the Iroquois Nationals to the Haudenosaunee Nationals. They wanted to use their own name for their people. This is called an endonym. The name "Iroquois" was used by other tribes and European settlers.
Field Lacrosse Achievements
The Haudenosaunee Nationals represent the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. The Federation of International Lacrosse first recognized them in 1987. Their first tournament was the 1990 World Lacrosse Championship. They finished fifth in that event.
| Awards | ||
|---|---|---|
| Event | Member | Award |
| 2002 World Championships | Neal Powless | All World Team |
| 2006 World Championships | Brent Bucktooth | All World Team |
| 2008 U19 World Championships | Emmett Printup | All World Team - Attack |
| 2008 U19 World Championships | Jason Johns | All World Team - Defense |
| 2012 U19 World Championships | Seth Oakes | All World Team - Attack |
| 2012 U19 World Championships | Lyle Thompson | All World Team - Midfield |
| 2012 U19 World Championships | Warren Hill | All World Team - Goalie |
| 2014 World Championships | Lyle Thompson | All World Team - Attack |
| 2014 World Championships | Jeremy Thompson | All World Team - Midfield |
| 2016 U19 World Championships | Tehoka Nanticoke | Attack MVP |
| 2016 U19 World Championships | Tehoka Nanticoke | All World Team - Attack |
| 2016 U19 World Championships | Austin Staats | All World Team - Attack |
Field Lacrosse Results
| Year | Competition | Result | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | World Lacrosse Championship | 5th | |
| 1994 | World Lacrosse Championship | 5th | |
| 1998 | World Lacrosse Championship | 4th | |
| 2002 | World Lacrosse Championship | 4th | |
| 2006 | World Lacrosse Championship | 4th | |
| 2010 | World Lacrosse Championship | DNP | Could not attend due to passport issues |
| 2014 | World Lacrosse Championship | Bronze | |
| 2018 | World Lacrosse Championship | Bronze | Travel delay due to passport issues |
Box Lacrosse Achievements
The Haudenosaunee Nationals have also done very well in box lacrosse. They have won several silver medals at the World Indoor Lacrosse Championship.
| Year | GP | W | L | GF | GA | Final Game | Finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 Canada | 7 | 5 | 2 | 126 | 81 | Lost to Canada 21-4 |  |
| 2007 Canada | 5 | 4 | 1 | 98 | 35 | Lost to Canada 15-14 (OT) | |
| 2011 Czech Republic | 5 | 4 | 1 | 84 | 37 | Lost to Canada 13-6 | |
| 2015 Onondaga Nation | 6 | 4 | 2 | 84 | 48 | Lost to Canada 12-8 | |
| Totals | 23 | 17 | 6 | 392 | 201 | 4 Silver Medals | |
Hosting the 2015 WILC
The Iroquois Nationals hosted the 2015 FIL World Indoor Lacrosse Championships. This was the first time they hosted this big tournament. The event took place on Haudenosaunee Territories. Games were held at Tsha’Hon’nonyen’dakhwa’ Onondaga Nation Arena. They also played at the Carrier Dome near Syracuse. Some games were at the First Niagara Center in Buffalo. The championship ran from September 18 to 27, 2015.
Lacrosse Leagues
The FNLA helps manage several important lacrosse leagues.
- The Can-Am Senior B Lacrosse League started in 1969. It was first called the North American Lacrosse Association. Teams in this league play for the Presidents Cup. This is the championship for Senior B box lacrosse in North America. Can-Am teams have won this championship five times. These wins were in 1994, 1996, 2000, 2010, and 2014.
- The Three Nations Senior Lacrosse League (TNSLL) was formed in 1994. It is another Senior B box lacrosse league. TNSLL teams also compete for the Presidents Cup. They have won the championship five times. Their wins were in 1994, 1995, 1997, 2011, and 2012.
- The First Nations Junior B Lacrosse League is a box lacrosse league. It was created in 2014. This happened when the Canadian Lacrosse Association changed its structure. Four teams played in the first season. In 2015, the league joined with the Montreal Junior Lacrosse League. This made a league with seven teams. The winner of the FNLA league gets to play in the Founders Cup. This is the national championship for Junior B lacrosse in Canada.
See also
- Mike Kanentakeron Mitchell, Iroquois Lacrosse Association founder
