First Nations Lacrosse Association

Last updated
First Nations Lacrosse Association
SportLacrosse
JurisdictionNational
AbbreviationFNLA
Founded1983
Affiliation Lacrosse Canada [1]
Affiliation date1988
Headquarters Akwesasne, New York
PresidentJames Rickard
Men's coachMark Burnam (2018 WLC) [2]
Women's coachAshley Pike (2017 WLWC)
Official website
firstnationslacrosse.com
Flag of the Iroquois Confederacy.svg

First Nations Lacrosse Association (FNLA; formerly Iroquois Lacrosse Association) is the governing body of lacrosse for First Nations within Canada and Native American tribes within the United States.

Contents

The FNLA is the governing body for Can Am Sr B, Three Nations Sr B and First Nations Junior B Lacrosse Leagues. The FNLA does NOT oversee the five national teams, the Haudenosaunee men's national lacrosse team, the Haudenosaunee men's national under-19 lacrosse team, the Haudenosaunee women's national lacrosse team, the Haudenosaunee women's national under-19 lacrosse team, and the Haudenosaunee national indoor lacrosse team. These teams are recognized by World Lacrosse for international competition, making them the only indigenous peoples' national teams sanctioned in any sport.

FNLA also sanctions three men's box lacrosse leagues: Can-Am Senior B Lacrosse League, Three Nations Senior Lacrosse League, and First Nations Junior B Lacrosse League.

Haudenosaunee Nationals

The Iroquois Nationals men's lacrosse team was formed and sanctioned by the Grand Council of the Haudenosaunee in 1983 in preparation of friendlies at the NCAA championship in Baltimore, Maryland. The Nationals lost to Syracuse Orange 28-5 and Hobart College 22–14. Prior to the 1984 Summer Olympics, the Nationals held the Jim Thorpe Memorial Games and Pow-Wow, a 6-team event with local and international teams in Los Angeles. The Nationals achieved their first victory over the national team of England. The following year, using their Haudenosaunee passports, the Nationals traveled and toured England losing only once. [3]

After being denied membership by the ILF to compete in the 1986 World Games in Canada, the Iroquois hosted the teams for preliminary games at the University of Buffalo. [4] In 1988, the IFL accepted the Iroquois as a full member nation. [5]

The Iroquois Nationals took part in their first international competition at the 1990 World Lacrosse Championships, finishing fifth. The first FIL sanctioned U17 box lacrosse friendly took place between the Iroquois Nationals and Team Canada during the 2015 World Indoor Lacrosse Championship. [6]

Nike deal

In 2006, the Iroquois Nationals Lacrosse Program signed a partnership with Nike, Inc. in which Nike will provide the Nationals with their brand uniforms, clothing, footwear, and other equipment. The company is to develop programs to "promote wellness-and-fitness activities in Native American communities throughout the region", and team members may go to speak to local groups. Team members will also assist in testing of sustainable produced sportswear for Nike's research and development of processes to use non-toxic dyes and biodegradable organic cotton. [7]

Nike is the only Fortune 500 company to have such a relationship with a Native American organization, and the Iroquois Nationals are the only such group. [8]

Passport issues

The Nationals were unable to attend and compete in the 2010 World Lacrosse Championship in England as the United Kingdom does not accept their Iroquois passports. The Nationals were forced to forfeit their three preliminary games. In 2015, the Haudenosaunee Nationals women's under 19 team was forced to withdraw from the 2015 U19 World Lacrosse Championship in Scotland for the same reason.

Name change

In 2022, the team formally changed their name from the Iroquois Nationals to the Haudenosaunee Nationals, citing their desire to use the endonym for their people rather than an exonym used historically by enemy tribes and European colonists. [9]

Field lacrosse

The Haudenosaunee Nationals are the national team representing the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. First recognized by the Federation of International Lacrosse as a full member nation in 1987, the Nationals competed in their first tournament at the 1990 World Lacrosse Championship, finishing fifth. [10]

Awards
EventMemberAward
2002 World Championships Neal Powless All World Team
2006 World Championships Brent BucktoothAll World Team
2008 U19 World Championships Emmett PrintupAll World Team - Attack
2008 U19 World Championships Jason JohnsAll World Team - Defense
2012 U19 World Championships Seth OakesAll World Team - Attack
2012 U19 World Championships Lyle Thompson All World Team - Midfield
2012 U19 World Championships Warren HillAll 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

Results

YearCompetitionResultNotes
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 DNPPassport controversy [11]
2014 World Lacrosse Championship Bronze
2018 World Lacrosse Championship BronzePassport delay [12]

Box lacrosse

World Indoor Lacrosse Championship
YearGPWLGFGAFinalFinish
2003 Canada 75212681Lost to Canada 21-4Silver medal icon.svg
2007 Canada 5419835Lost to Canada 15-14 (OT)Silver medal icon.svg
2011 Czech Republic 5418437Lost to Canada 13-6Silver medal icon.svg
2015 Onondaga Nation 6428448Lost to Canada 12-8Silver medal icon.svg
Totals231763922014 Silver Medals

2015 WILC

The Iroquois Nationals played host to the 2015 FIL World Indoor Lacrosse Championships for the first time in the tournament's history. The event took place on Haudenosaunee Territories at Tsha’Hon’nonyen’dakhwa’ Onondaga Nation Arena and the Carrier Dome near Syracuse, as well as the First Niagara Center in Buffalo September 18–27, 2015. [13]

Leagues

See also

Related Research Articles

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References

  1. https://lacrosse.ca/content/member-associations\ Lacrosse Canada - Member Associatios
  2. Klein, Jordana (October 13, 2017). "IMG Academy Lacrosse Coach Mark Burnam (Six Nation) named Iroquois National Team Head Coach for the 2018 FIL Men's Lacrosse World Championships – NDNSPORTS". NDN Sports. IMG. Retrieved 10 July 2019.
  3. Price, S.L. (2010-07-19). "Pride of a Nation". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 2016-05-26.
  4. Lyons, Oren (September 29, 2015). "From Humble Beginnings in 1982, Iroquois Teams Are Now Among the World's Best". Florida Lacrosse News. Retrieved 2016-05-26.
  5. "FIL Members". Federation of International Lacrosse. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
  6. Vock, Casey. "Team Canada, Haudenosaunee Youth Players Shine at WILC U17 Box Exhibition". 3dRising.com. Retrieved 2017-07-14.
  7. Fryling, Kevin (2006-07-27). "Nike deal promotes Native American wellness, lacrosse". University of Buffalo Reporter. Archived from the original on 2006-09-06. Retrieved 2006-07-28.
  8. Nikebiz.com (2006-05-04). "Nike Begins Historic Partnership With The Iroquois Nationals Lacrosse Organization". Press release. Nike, Inc. Retrieved 2008-06-30.
  9. "About Us – Haudenosaunee Nationals". Haudenosaunee Nationals Lacrosse. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
  10. "World Event History". Federation of International Lacrosse. Archived from the original on 4 July 2015. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
  11. "Iroquois Defeated by Passport Dispute". New York Times. 16 July 2010.
  12. "IROQUOIS NATIONALS PASSPORTS HONORED AFTER DELAY IN TRAVEL TO WORLD GAMES IROQUOIS TAKE ON USA IN OPENING SHOOTOUT" (Press release). Netanya, Israel: Iroquois Nationals. 13 July 2018. Retrieved 10 July 2019.
  13. "WILC 2015 – Opening Day". Federation of International Lacrosse. 19 September 2015.
  14. "About Can-Am". Can-Am Lacrosse. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
  15. "CLA Recognizes Micheal 'Kanentakeron' Mitchell with the Prestigious Lester B. Pearson Award". Canadian Lacrosse Association. Retrieved 5 May 2017.