Lacrosse Canada coaches and officials growing the game in Utica
Oshawa, ON- Lacrosse is one of the fastest growing sports in the world, and Canadians are playing a big role in developing the game. Everybody knows about the talented players Canada has produced over the years but what goes under the radar is the effect our coaches and officials have on the game globally. This past month at the World Lacrosse Box Championships in Utica, NY, Canada had a major influence on both the coaching and officiating side.
Starting with coaching, there were more than 70 Canadians coaching other nations during the Championship. These coaches included Hall of Famers like Wayne Colley, Tracy Kelusky, Dan Teat, Bob McMahon and former NLL players, Jason Crosbie, Brian Beisel, Shawn Evans, Darryl Gibson, Bob Snider, Chad Culp and many more all used their lacrosse experience to help grow the game internationally. With the Olympics on the horizon, these next 4 years will be crucial for the development of lacrosse internationally. It is critical that we take this time to share our knowledge with the world to ensure lacrosse can become a mainstay at the Olympics. No matter which countries were playing in Utica, the chances were high that a Canadian was involved in the game, whether it was on the floor, or behind the bench. Listed below are some of the nations that had coaches from Canada, represented from coast to coast.
Women’s: USA, Ireland, Germany
Men’s: Haudenosaunee, England, Hong Kong, Israel, Mexico, Finland, Switzerland, Jamaica, Scotland, Chinese Taipei, Austria, Netherlands, US Virgin Islands, Australia, Puerto Rico, Slovakia, Australia, Ireland, and Poland.
Lacrosse Canada also had the most officials at the World Lacrosse Box Championships. With 30 officials in Utica, these individuals used their expertise to work with officials from other countries to further their understanding of the rules and the game of lacrosse. Within the 30 officials there were 6 women who continue to be role models for younger women to chase their lacrosse dreams. Without the dedication from our officials these games would not be possible. Here is a breakdown of the associations these officials came from.
BCLA- 10 Officials
OLA- 9 Officials
ALA- 6 Officials
FNLA- 4 Officials
LNS- 1 Official
We were able to catch up with Valerie Miles and Dominique Hartley in Utica who had this to say. “It’s a surreal experience, to see where I came from and how many women were involved when I started, to now. It’s just unbelievable” said Alberta official Valerie Miles. “To have so many female officials here is amazing. Doing both the Men’s and Women’s games is so important for us because it showcases our talents as officials in all levels of the box lacrosse game,” said Dominique. We hope our female officials had a strong influence on women everywhere in the sport of lacrosse, showing that they belong here.
We would like to thank all the Canadian coaches and officials who attended Utica and embraced what it means to BE CANADIAN.
About Lacrosse Canada
Founded in 1867, Lacrosse Canada is the governing body responsible for all aspects of lacrosse in Canada. Our organization is comprised of 11 Member Associations representing nearly 85,000 individual participants, including coaches, officials, and athletes of all ages and abilities. Lacrosse Canada’s mission is to honour the sport of lacrosse and its unique nation-building heritage, by engaging our members, leading our partners, and providing opportunities for all Canadians to participate. Lacrosse Canada oversees the delivery of numerous national championships and the participation of Team Canada at all international events sanctioned by World Lacrosse. Lacrosse Canada is proud to be affiliated with partners that share the same vision and values, including our corporate partners - Nike, CoachThem, Gait, Cascade, Normatec, Zoll, Boddam, Signature Lacrosse, and Baron Rings - as well as our funding partners the Government of Canada, the Coaching Association of Canada, and the Canadian Lacrosse Foundation.
For more information, please contact:
Kealan Pilon
Communications Coordinator Lacrosse Canada
Email: kealan@lacrosse.ca