Haudenosaunee men's national lacrosse team facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Haudenosaunee Confederacy

Nickname(s)	Haudenosaunee Nationals
WL membership	1988
Association	First Nations Lacrosse Association
World Championship
Appearances	7 (first in 1990)
Best result	Third place (2014, 2018)
Website	haudenosauneenationals.com
Medal record World Lacrosse Championship Bronze 2014 United States Bronze 2018 United States Canadian Field Lacrosse Championships Bronze 1987 Canadian Field Lake Placid Summit Lacrosse Championships Gold 1990 Lake Placid

The Haudenosaunee Nationals Men’s Lacrosse Team is a special sports team. It represents the Iroquois Confederacy in international field lacrosse games. This team used to be called the Iroquois Nationals.

They are currently ranked third in the world by World Lacrosse. They earned a Bronze medal at the 2018 World Lacrosse Championship. The team is run by the First Nations Lacrosse Association. In June 2022, the team officially changed its name from Iroquois to Haudenosaunee Nationals.

History of the Team

Lacrosse: More Than a Game

For the First Nations people, lacrosse is much more than just a sport. It started as a spiritual activity to thank the Creator. The Haudenosaunee Nationals still follow this tradition today. Before each game, players gather with their spiritual advisor. They perform special rituals to get ready for the field.

Lacrosse sticks are also very important in the Haudenosaunee culture. Boys are given a small wooden lacrosse stick when they are born. They keep their stick close throughout their lives. It is even believed that they take one to the grave. People believe that the first thing a Haudenosaunee person does in the afterlife is grab the stick from their coffin. These wooden sticks are seen as gifts from Mother Earth. The Haudenosaunee believe that a tree gave its life to make the stick. They think the tree's spirit then joins the stick's owner. Because of this, they play humbly to honor the tree's sacrifice.

How the Team Started

The Iroquois Nationals men's lacrosse team was created in 1983. The Grand Council of the Haudenosaunee approved it. Their first games were friendly matches at the NCAA championship in Baltimore, Maryland. They played against Syracuse Orange and Hobart Statesmen.

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 ever against the national team of England. The next year, they traveled to England using their own Haudenosaunee passports. They only lost one game during that tour.

The Haudenosaunee Nationals team is unique. It is the only First Nation's team recognized internationally as a sovereign people. This means they are seen as an independent nation. At first, the International Lacrosse Federation (ILF) did not let them join. This was for the 1986 World Lacrosse Championship in Canada. So, the Iroquois hosted the teams for practice games at the University of Buffalo. Finally, in 1988, the IFL accepted the Iroquois as a full member nation.

The Haudenosaunee Nationals played in their first international competition in 1990. This was the 1990 World Lacrosse Championship in Australia. They finished fifth out of five teams.

Women's Lacrosse Team

Lacrosse has always been important to Haudenosaunee culture. But it was mostly seen as a men's game. After the men's team was recognized in the 1980s, Haudenosaunee women wanted their own national team. At first, Haudenosaunee leaders said no. They felt it went against their traditions.

However, lacrosse was still a big part of the Haudenosaunee women's identity. Eventually, the women were able to form their own national team. They became members of the FIL in 2008.

Partnership with Nike

For a long time, the Haudenosaunee Nationals had a very small budget. They also tried not to take money from the Canadian and American governments. This was to show their independence as a sovereign nation.

In 2006, the team signed a deal with Nike, Inc.. Nike agreed to provide the Nationals with uniforms, clothing, shoes, and other gear. Nike also promised to create programs to help Native American communities stay healthy and fit. Team members sometimes speak to local groups. They also help Nike test new sportswear made from natural materials. This partnership is special because Nike is one of the few big companies to work directly with a First Nations organization. These programs are very important. They help fight health problems like obesity and diabetes in Indigenous communities.

Travel Challenges

The Iroquois Confederacy started issuing their own passports in 1927. For many years, people traveled easily with them. But after the 9/11 attacks, security became much stricter. European Union countries stopped accepting these passports. While Canada still allowed entry, neither the United States nor Canada recognized them as valid travel documents for their own citizens.

These passports caused problems for the Haudenosaunee Nationals. In 2010, they could not enter England for the 2010 World Lacrosse Championship. British officials told the players to get U.S. or Canadian passports. But the Haudenosaunee Nationals refused. They felt it would go against their identity as a sovereign people. Because of this, they had to miss their first three games.

In 2015, the Haudenosaunee women's team faced the same issue. They were traveling to Scotland for the Under-19 World Championship. They also refused to use Canadian or American passports. In 2018, the men's team had passport delays again for the World Lacrosse Championship in Israel. But this time, the Federation of International Lacrosse and local organizers helped. The Israeli and Canadian governments worked together to solve the problem. The team arrived just in time for the opening ceremonies and their first game.

Awards and Achievements

World Lacrosse Championship Results

Overall Performance

World Lacrosse Championship

Year	Host	GP	W	L	GF	GA	Finish
1990	Australia	4	0	4	44	82	5th
1994	England	6	2	4	68	87	5th
1998	United States	7	2	5	56	115	4th
2002	Australia	7	2	5	55	100	4th
2006	Canada	8	4	4	125	107	4th
2010	England	3	0	3	0	3	-
2014	United States	8	5	3	96	75
2018	Israel	8	5	3	94	84
Total		51	20	31	538	653	2 Bronze Medals

World Games Results

Overall Performance

See also

• First Nations Lacrosse Association
• Iroquois national indoor lacrosse team
• Haudenosaunee women's national lacrosse team
• World Lacrosse Championship