Summary
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.
| Sport | Lacrosse |
|---|---|
| Jurisdiction | National |
| Abbreviation | FNLA |
| Founded | 1983 |
| Affiliation | Lacrosse Canada[1] |
| Affiliation date | 1988 |
| Headquarters | Cornwall, Ontario |
| President | Brian Phillips |
| Men's coach | Mark Burnam (2018 WLC)[2] |
| Women's coach | Ashley Pike (2017 WLWC) |
| Official website | |
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The FNLA oversees 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 edit
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 edit
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 edit
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 edit
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 edit
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 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Results edit
| 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 | Passport controversy[11] |
| 2014 | World Lacrosse Championship | Bronze | |
| 2018 | World Lacrosse Championship | Bronze | Passport delay[12] |
Box lacrosse edit
| Year | GP | W | L | GF | GA | Final | 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 | |
2015 WILC edit
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 edit
- Can-Am Senior B Lacrosse League, founded in 1969 as North American Lacrosse Association,[14] was organized beginning in 1978. League winners compete for the Presidents Cup, the Senior B championship of North America. Can-Am teams have won the championship five times (1994, 1996, 2000, 2010, 2014).
- Formed in 1994, the Three Nations Senior Lacrosse League is a Senior B box lacrosse league. TNSLL teams compete for the Presidents Cup, winning the championship on five occasions (1994, 1995, 1997, 2011, 2012).
- First Nations Junior B Lacrosse League is a box lacrosse league formed in 2014 with the restructuring of the Canadian Lacrosse Association. Four teams competed in the inaugural season. In 2015 the league merged with the Montreal Junior Lacrosse League to form a seven-team league. The FNLA league winner earns a spot in the Founders Cup, the national championship of Junior B lacrosse in Canada.
See also edit
- Mike Kanentakeron Mitchell, Iroquois Lacrosse Association founder[15]
References edit
- ^ https://lacrosse.ca/content/member-associations\ Lacrosse Canada - Member Associatios
- ^ 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.
- ^ Price, S.L. (2010-07-19). "Pride of a Nation". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 2016-05-26.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "FIL Members". Federation of International Lacrosse. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
- ^ Vock, Casey. "Team Canada, Haudenosaunee Youth Players Shine at WILC U17 Box Exhibition". 3dRising.com. Retrieved 2017-07-14.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Nikebiz.com (2006-05-04). "Nike Begins Historic Partnership With The Iroquois Nationals Lacrosse Organization". Press release. Nike, Inc. Retrieved 2008-06-30.
- ^ "About Us – Haudenosaunee Nationals". Haudenosaunee Nationals Lacrosse. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
- ^ "World Event History". Federation of International Lacrosse. Archived from the original on 4 July 2015. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
- ^ "Iroquois Defeated by Passport Dispute". New York Times. 16 July 2010.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "WILC 2015 – Opening Day". Federation of International Lacrosse. 19 September 2015.
- ^ "About Can-Am". Can-Am Lacrosse. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
- ^ "CLA Recognizes Micheal 'Kanentakeron' Mitchell with the Prestigious Lester B. Pearson Award". Canadian Lacrosse Association. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
External links edit
- Iroquois Nationals
- First Nations Junior B Lacrosse League
- @FirstNationsLax Twitter