Matt DaSilva, over at Lacrosse Magazine, has done a wonderful job with his report, and we got permission from him to reprint a portion of his article:

Lyle Thompson just finished one point shy of the NCAA’s all-time single season scoring record with Albany.

Cody Jamieson just became the first player to win consecutive Champion’s Cup MVP honors in the National Lacrosse League with the Rochester Knighthawks.

Jamieson’s cousin, Sid Smith, just led the Knighthawks to their second straight NLL championship as team captain.

Everywhere you look in today’s lacrosse landscape, you’ll find Iroquois players not only honoring what they call the Creator’s Game, but also excelling in all of its modern forms. But uncertainty again surrounds their participation in the Federation of International Lacrosse (FIL) World Championship.

Last month, the Iroquois Nationals appealed for the second time an FIL decision that would withhold them from the top division at the 2014 world games in Denver — a motion that now resides in a vote among the FIL’s 27 full-member nations.

The controversy stems from the Iroquois Nationals’ absence from the 2010 games in Manchester, England, due to a well-publicized dispute over the validity of their Haudenosaunee-issued passports. Germany took the Iroquois’ place in the Blue Division, traditionally reserved for the top six teams from the previous world championship.

“Politics between the U.S. and the U.K. stood in the way of the Iroquois Nationals competing… in 2010,” Iroquois Nationals general manager Gewas Schindler wrote in a May 10 letter to the FIL General Assembly. “No comparable past precedence exists. To make such a ruling on uncertain principles contradicts the spirit of international competition and the celebration of the Creator’s Game.”

To finish up this fantastic article (and there is a LOT more to read!), head on over to Lacrosse Magazine online, and read Iroquois’ 2014 Status in Hands of FIL General Assembly.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Marburg Saints: Season Finale

There was a lot of speculation about this game in advance. The undefeated Mainz Musketeers were our guests on March 11th. Our Team has shown a season with wins against the Cologne Indians, the Ruhrpott Pirates and the loss to the gaming community Münster / Kassel, contrasted to a dominant victory against the Lumberjacks from Kaiserslautern. All in all, we stand 3-1 in the season statistics before the final game. There was also the very exciting question of which series would tear this weekend. The Mainz could never beat us on our own field, but on the other side were undefeated for more than half a season. Everything pointed to a thrilling game.

The game started in pouring rain and we also struggled in our brand new uniforms. From the beginning the Musketeers transformed the first face-off into a goal and also made further pressure. When we were able to bring it equal two minutes later, the Musketeers answered directly with a goal to regain the lead. The game swayed back and forth, but our streaks of pressure became longer and longer. The first quarter eventually ended with a 3-3. During the break, we had time to discuss the coordination problems in defense again. The break helped to got focused again with the effect of becoming the dominant team. As in the game against Kaiserslautern our offensive really got the ball rolling. It were cleverly combined plays and teamwork that took away the pleasure of the game of the Musketeers. However the Musketeers didn’t give up and in many situations and our defense got the slide at the very last moment and our goalie and MVP of the game Matze Schmitz cane up with some huge saves.

With a comfortable 11-3 lead, we went into the last quarter in which our Saints rookies, who will be mostly the team of the next season, got the control from the advanced players to draw as much experience as possible from the last game of the season. However this gave also the Musketeers the opportunity to get back into the game but their streak of four goals were not enough to prevent the victory of the Saints. Our new jersey’s were officially shown for the first time with a 11-7 victory and the Marburg Saints series of home victories against Mainz still remains.

Even if our organized summer festival turned into a kind of “pool party” due to weather conditions, we want to thank all the parents, fans and supporters, as well as our sponsors Lavin Lacrosse for the awesome new jersey’s, RedBull and the Volksbank of Central Hessen and of course our opponents Mainz for an excellent, exciting and fair season finale .

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

One Weekend, Two Games

Our Season kicked off mediate. On the bright side we were 2-0 after two games, but on the other side we had to learn, that we needed to work hard for our wins and especially play more consistently. In both games we were able to get an early lead, but unable to keep our opponents from coming back into the game. And the next road bump of our season was already on its way. After some rescheduling we ended up with two away games on one weekend.

Our first game was against the “Müssel Rahawks” (The team partnership of the Kassel Raccoons and the Münster Mohawks). We knew that it would be a hard game, because both teams had a history of losing against us, before their teams merged. Now we had to face the best of both teams, with us still struggling with rebuilding and missing two of our starting defenders. The first half started slow with the game going back and forth. By the end of the half we were only 3-2 in front. The third quarter ended scoreless, but we lost our cool in the fourth. Decimated by several unnecessary penalties, we fell back four goals and could not recover. The game ended 6-4 and we had to admit, that the other team played smarter today.

With this upset on our back we had to go to Kaiserslautern for our next game. By then it already felt like we had spent the whole weekend in cars and locker rooms and the loss of the previous day did not help to raise our moods. On the other side we knew that we had to get ready for another game, and that the only right answer to being 2-1 now could be a win. Our opponent were the K-Town Lumberjacks, a team with a lot of American players that we remembered as really tough.

We started good in the first quarter, although we were still missing two of our staring defenders, we played a solid team defense, but did not manage to execute well on offense. The Lumberjacks grew stronger and managed to sneak one ball past our Goalie. Apparently this was the wakeup call our Offense needed. With three quick goals we recaptured the lead in the first quarter on regained our field dominance. From the second quarter on the game belonged only to the Saints. Our Offense really started to click and our Defense played an excellent game. The few shots that we had to give up were saved by our Goalie Matze Schmitz, who held the Lumberjacks scoreless for the rest of the game.

When the final whistle blew, we had won 16-1 and made a clear statement, that the previous loss was just a hiccup on the way. With our 3-1 record we are now preparing for our season highlight, the home game against our closest rival the Mainz Musketeers.

This is HIGH quality box lacrosse! Also, check out Simon Krause’s Lax in the Box Recap!

_____________________________________________________________________________________

After an incredible performance in the Aleš Hřebeský Memorial, LC Custodes certainly continued to prove their quality in the Czech National Box Lacrosse League, as Radotin won their eighth consecutive title in 2013. That being said, their victory was not as easy as some may have expected.

Custodes‘ biggest rival in the NBLL, SK Lacrosse Jižní Město, was the other team to make the  finals, and they played very tough, and forced a third and decisive match in the best-of-three final series.

Game One Photo Credits: Martin Bouda

LCC was extremely impressive at the Aleš Hřebeský Memorial and gained valuable wins over three overseas teams on their way to winning the tournament trophy (check www.AHMemorial.cz fo more), so they were clear favorites for the NBLL play-offs. This was proven in the semi-final series, where Custodes easily controlled their matches against LC Pardubice winning 18 : 7 and 8 : 5, to advance to the finals.

For Jižní Město, their final standing in the Memorial did not measure up to expectations. It was a rough tournament for LCJM, and they struggled hard in their NBLL semifinal games against TJ Malešice, especially in their first game, where the scores was 14 : 13 in favor of LCJM. The second game was won by LCJM 13 : 4, and Jižní Město seemed to be truly ready for the finals and their match up against LCC Radotin.

The first of the final games was played in Radotín on Wednesday, May 15, and the first Custodes strike came only 19 seconds into the game. But Jižní Město played relentless and physical defense, and were effective with their shots, and the score was soon 4 to 1 in favor of the visitors. Custodes scored on the power-play at the end of the first quarter to bring the game back to two goals. After the quarter break, a storm of goals arrived, and suddenly it was Custodes who lead 5 to 4. Both teams then traded goals back and forth, so the score was tight, 6 : 6, at half time.

LCC broke their opponent in the third period. They performed wonderful offensive combinations, moved the ball fluidly, and played solid defense. At the end of the run, they had outscored Jižní Město 5 : 0, to take an 11-6 lead.

The last period was controlled by Custodes, and the game and the final score stopped at 12 : 7, with LCC Radotin taking care of business at home, and going up 1-0 in the three game series.

Jižní Město was able to use all advantages of their home arena in the second game on Friday May 17. Supported by a loud crowd of supporters, they began the game well once again and lead 4 to 1, just as they had in Game 1. Again, they played tough physical defence, and Custodes were suffering from ineffective shooting. Young Jižní Město goalie, Tomáš Čekal, was great between the posts. Remember the name Čekal. This up and comer is going to be very good!

In the 26th minute Lukáš Sailer added a goal to LCJM’s total, and it was 6 : 1. After that, Custodes finally settled down in their play and started to score. The half time score was a much tighter 7 : 4 scoreline, and the battle was set to continue in the third period.

Photo Credit: Martin Bouda

Radotín was more successful on offence than at the beginning of the match, and LCC Radotin was only one goal down after 45 minutes s of play. At the begining of the last quarter Emil Moravec equalized and then Tomáš Procházka turned the game to the Custodes‘ side. But this time Jižní Město did not allow to be broken.

Milan Černík anwered the goal and then Adam Ondráček scored the winning goal five minutes before the final whistle blew. Radotín was knocking hard on the Jižní Město goal but without success. Jáchym Plecháček tacked on a goal to the somewhat surprising home team’s success in the last second, and LCJM won the game, 11 : 9.

Photo Credit: Ondřej Mika

So the NBLL final serie returned to Radotín on Sunday May 19 and once again, both teams were supported with big crowd of fans. And yet again, it was Jižní Město who started the game off better. They started eagerly again and their first shots were very accurate and they lead 4 : 0 in only seven minutes. Only Miroslav Polách was able to score for the LCC side in the first period.

During the break between periods, Custodes concentrated and calmed down. When the second quarter started, home captain Petr Poupě, and then Tomáš Procházka, scored to start a run.

Michal Rozkot’s goal was the only answer  for LCJM, and the game was effectively over for Jižní Město as Radotín players found all their skills, and used frightening efficacy on offense, and concentration while on defence.

The visitor’s score on the scoreboard was frozen at five while the home side’s score steadily blew up to 17 by the end of the third period. Radotín controlled the game in the last period and after a persuasive 22 : 8 victory, started to celebrate. The team then received the champion’s trophy from the new Czech Men’s Lacrosse Association president, Pavel Semerák.

LC Custodes confirmed that they have no true equal in the Czech league when they concentrate and play their best box lacrosse. On the other hand, Jižní Město have proven that there is a chance to stop Radotín’s enormous offensive force when a team plays together. Several young and talented players appeared in the Jižní Město uniform and if they continue to work hard the Radotín dominance may not last forever.

The NBLL was played in an Autumn–Spring format with ten teams participating. The new CMLA board plans to change the format, and organize a shorter and more compact competition in the Spring, which will be more interesting for spectators, and motivating for players.

You can find all stats HERE and you can find FULL photo galleries HERE.

Story By Ondřej Mika

As field Lacrosse has kept growing and improving over the last few years in Europe, more and more players are also getting interested in the indoor version of lacrosse; box lacrosse. Due to venue limitations, and a lack in knowledge of the game, only a few box teams are reported in Europe, but the recent development work points to an increase over the coming years.

The Aleš Hřebeský Memorial, with its 20th anniversary event, was a pure demonstration of how good European box can become when hard and relentless work of the athletes are combined with a long tradition and great organization. Not only was the 20th AHM one of the most outstanding tournaments box lacrosse Europe has ever seen, it also marks the beginning of a new European box era.

The AHM 2013

One week after the AHM, Europe’s second biggest box tournament, the Lax in the Box tourney, took place in Dresden, Germany. As this year’s focus was on the AHM, the Dresden Braves, who organize the Lax in the Box decided to use the second edition of the LitB as a development tournament for teams who are new to box lacrosse.

Unfortunately, as is often the case with new programs, three teams dropped out last minute to leave a total of 9 teams competing for the most outstanding trophy the world of lacrosse will ever see, EVER.

The teams were:

1. Dresden Braves (Germany)
2. Victoria Berlin (Germany)
3. LCC Wolves (Czech Republic)
4. TJ Malesice (Czech Republic)
5. Bundeswehr Lacrosse (Germany)
6. MarBroRo Marburg/Rostock (Germany)
7. Deutschland Adler (Germany)
8. Vienna Monarchs (Austria)
9. Karlsruhe Storm (Germany)

Besides the 9 men‘s box lacrosse teams the Braves also invited 6 women’s teams to compete in the indoor women‘s tournament. Having a women’s and men’s tournament at the same time in the same arena complex did not only support the idea of a development tournament but also created a unique and attractive atmosphere for players and spectators.

Both tournaments started Saturday morning, May 4th, with games being played in a two-15 minute halves style. The level of refereeing was very good and consistent over the whole weekend to provide ideal conditions for a great tournament. Up front the favorites for the men’s tournament were the two teams from the Czech Republic, LCC Wolves and TJ Malesice and the German team, Deutschland Adler. The round robin was played in two groups with five and four teams.

After the first games were played the favored teams Wolves, Malesice and Adler did not disappoint and came out with big wins. Group A consisted of three teams, Deutschland Adler, Vienna Monarchs and LCC Wolves known to be able to handle the floor on both ends. As expected Adler came out strong on day one finishing first in their group beating second seated Wolves in an exciting game 6-3. Monarchs showed highlights in defense but were not able to get enough scoring power to beat Wolves in a tough game finishing 3-1 in favor of the Wolves.

Is that traditional? Way to roll Artjom!

In Group B Malesice cleared their way through round robin beating home team Dresden, Karlsruhe, Bundeswehr and Marbroro in exciting but dominant games. In the fight for the second place the home team Dresden Braves could work up their way with beating third seated Karlsruhe in an exciting game 4-1 finishing second place behind Wolves to qualify for the semifinal on Sunday.

White on white.

With round robin games finished on day 1 Adler were facing Dresden and Wolves their fellow Czech team Malesice in the semifinals on Sunday. In the first game Adler showed high offensive potential scoring 7 goals without letting one in to proceed to the final with a strong 7-0 victory over the home team Dresden. In the second semifinal Malesice showed strong nerves beating Wolves in one of the most exciting games of the tournament 3-2 to proceeding to the final with Deutschland Adler already waiting for them.

The first half of the final game showed a lot of highlights in defense and offense with the Malesice goalie keeping Adler of the score board for most of the time. After the first half the 400 spectators were caught up in a close game with Adler having a slight 2-1 advantage going in the second half.

This looks like it hurt… someone.

To the surprise of everyone Malesice could not show enough defensive power in the second half to keep Adler from scoring and were not able to create goals on the other end of the floor which lead to a clear 6-2 victory of the Deutschland Adler team to be named the 2nd Lax in the Box champion.

All statistics about the games are available here.

Besides the men’s tournament, the six invited German women teams competed on a high level as well, showing great games and development over the whole weekend.

Teams taking part in the women’s Lax in the Box tournament:

1. Latschis Marburg
2. Neckarnixen
3. Leipzig Miwoks
4. Dresden Braves Gold
5. Dresden Braves Black
6. Victoria Berlin

In the final Marburg was facing the Neckarnixen and over 300 spectators could see a high level women’s indoor game with Marburg taking home the title, becoming winner of the trophy Adam and being named the first Lax in the Box women’s tournament champion.

Congrats, ladies!

Trophy first, handshake second!

Fans, players, refs and coaches were able to watch great games in an outstanding atmosphere and a great venue over two days. The combination of the women’s and men’s tournament created a unique experience and truly contributed to Growing the Game of indoor lacrosse in Germany.

The organizers Dresden Braves did a great job having all games on time, providing a great venue, separate locker rooms for each team over the whole weekend, and a high level of refereeing.

GREAT work by the Dresden Braves for LitB!

The players’ party on Saturday night helped everyone “relaxing” after a great first day. Off the field players and spectators had the chance to take part in the fastest shot competition and win prizes provided by our sponsors Captain Lax and East Coast Dyes. The Cheerleaders got everyone cheering before the two final games and during the halftime and maybe distracted some of the male player a little too much.

At this point we want to thank everyone that contributed to this great event and hope everyone involved in this event enjoyed it as much as the home team Dresden Braves. This tournament was a huge step towards Growing and improving the game of lacrosse over in Europe and Germany.

Because of the great success of the tournament this year we can already promise the third Lax in the Box 2014 and information about this event will be updated soon on our webpage.

Stay tuned for more media material uploaded in the next week, and thank you for reading!

- Simon

I had heard about people traveling around and coaching teams, or even just playing for teams around the globe, and while that sounded amazing, I just couldn’t pull the trigger. I always wanted to be working toward something…

When I finally sat down to help develop what Lacrosse The Pond would be, and what we could provide for students, it turned out to be a simple homerun.

We offer a great service to get kids a chance to continue to play lacrosse in a new setting, help grow the sport in a place that is lax crazy, and all the while, it sets up a launching pad for European travel, and plenty of adventure.

At the end of your year with new friends, amazing experiences, the knowledge that you are pushing the sport forward, and a Masters degree to top it off, you will know that it was worth it, and an amazing experience.

I am working to develop and offer LTP to everyone simply because I wish more than anything I could have done it, and I am positive I was not, and am not, the only one.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

LaxRocks Presents the Ultimate Weekender

You know Lacrosse rocks, right? English Lacrosse knows it too, and therefore we have partnered with Rugby Rocks to bring you the ultimate lacrosse event! On June 1st and 2nd 2013, ‘Lax Rocks’ will descend on the Athletic Ground in Richmond, London to provide you with the most unforgettable weekend.

After a difficult term of revision, or simply too many hours in the office, we realise you need to let off some steam with our 8 a-side Lacrosse Tournament in London. But have you still got what it takes? You and your team have just ten precious minutes to prove to your opposition who really rocks at Lacrosse, whilst showing Rugby and Netball the true definition of ‘sport’.

If the tournament hasn’t quite satisfied your competitive edge, then head down to the Puma Social tent to battle it out in the ultimate Beer Pong Championships, or join us for a ‘Bash the Beiber’ competition; but don’t go blaming your beer goggles if you aren’t quite up to scratch!

Whether you are drowning your sorrows or (hopefully) celebrating in style, the fun certainly doesn’t end there and as the sunsets, thousands of spectators and participants will prepare for the perfect after party. Lax Rocks commands one vital rule to be followed throughout this weekend; ‘Play hard, party harder’, so look forward to replacing your lacrosse sticks with a cold glass of beer, or a trip on the Pimm’s bus and immerse yourself into the party.

Before the music festival gets into full swing, with some top acts to set the mood, don’t forget to take a pit stop at the Nando’s picnic area for your ‘classier’ takeaway, and line your stomach in preparation for a good ol’rave. Benji stormed the stage last year, supporting headliner Zane Lowe, and is set to produce a similar unique performance, as he accompanies headlining act, Mista Jam, who will set the tone for an immense party!

With many Lacrosse teams already entered, such as Welwyn Warriors, ‘Daddy Bear’ and Hatchend Hawks, this is set to be an unforgettable experience! With over 6,000 spectators in 2012, and 150 Rugby and Netball teams, this year is set to be bigger and better than ever. But don’t take our word for it, enter your team at RugbyRocks.com and join us for the ultimate weekender!

____________________________________________________________________________________

LAX-LAB Bilbao: European Youth Camp of the Future and the Present!

I know it has been a little while since I have written about the happenings in the Euro-Lax scene, but there is still a lot going on. Some exciting European Youth Lacrosse News is the upcoming 7 day overnight lacrosse camp taking place in Bilbao, Spain, appropriately named LAX-LAB. Boys and Girls U16-U19 will have the opportunity to train like professional laxers in an Olympic training center.

LAX-LAB was developted by two Spanish players, Iker Peregrina (of the Bilbao Black Crows) and Álvaro Grijalba (of the Madrid Kings). Iker started playing lacrosse in 2012 when he fell in love with the game and in only one year created a program in Bilbao and had them competing in the Spanish National League. Álvaro started playing in 2005 while attending Arapahoe HS in Denver, where he was coached by my former  teammate and Mammoth legend Brian Langtry. I guess Langtry inspired him as upon his return to Spain he immediately became one of the major players and growers of Spanish Lacrosse.  Alvaro competed in the Worlds in 2006 and 2010 representing Spain.

The camp is taking place  July 28^th – Aug 4^th in the Coastal City of Bilbao, a city rich in beauty, culture, and modernity. Iker and Alvaro asked me if I could help out and organize the coaches and the lacrosse schedule and, as you would imagine, I accepted with enthusiasm (a week on the Spanish Coast!).

One of the really innovative elements of this camp is the incorporation of site-seeing and non-lacrosse related adventures. Yes, I said adventures. Players will spend the mornings and early afternoons developing their lax-skills from top level North American coaches and then they will have the opportunity to choose from different daily adventures.

Some of these activities include site-seeing Bilbao, visiting the Guggenheim, Hiking the long beaches and mountainous Cliffs which surround Bilbao (absolutely beautiful), or relaxing on the beach and soaking in the rays of the Spanish sun.

Now for those extreme laxers there will be an option to play lacrosse all day. Specialty clinics will be offered every afternoon and evening. For those that don’t venture into town, the mountains, or down to the beach, they can use the fabulous on-site facilities. The facilities are sweet. Players will live and train the same place Olympic athletes/teams use. Players have their own bathrooms, in room WIFI, a weight-room, sauna, Olympic pool, and a hot-tub. The beds are full sized and players are fed the same food that top level Olympians receive when staying there. Not bad for a youth camp.

The camp is directed to players from Europe, USA, and Canada. The coaches will come from the same places. I wish my parents sent me to a camp like this when I was younger… culture and lacrosse in one place! What an experience, and what a chance to meet new people. Talk about networking for the future! As an ex-pat myself, I understand the value of having friends all over the world, and learning about different cultures.

To conclude the week, the Spanish National team, along with some regional club teams, will descend on Bilbao and play a tournament with the Lax-Lab crew.

For more information on this visit www.lax-lab.com  or follow them on twitter @LAX_LAB – “LAX-LAB Summer Camp”.

Hope to see you in Spain!

Check out the swag these guys made for the Camps!

Very nice!

The Iroquois Lacrosse program has appealed the FIL’s decision to drop the Iroquois Nationals from the top (Blue) division at the 2014 World Games in Denver for a second time. The original appeal was voted down by the Board of Directors, and they cited “following by-laws” as their rationale.

However, the Iroquois have now made a second appeal, which will go before the entire representative body of the FIL for a vote, and they are asking that the full membership group reinstate them into the top division.

I have explained the situation before and how this all came about, but for those who are unsure as to what is going on, here is a quick rundown of why this is all happening:

- In 2010, the Iroquois were denied travel to England for the FIL World Games if they wanted to travel on their own passports. The UK and US made some efforts to accommodate the Iroquois, but it was far too little, far too late, and the Nationals never made it over to England to play their games.

- It was my belief, and still is, that the decision to remain home, rather than travel on the passports of another nation, was a political one. The Iroquois are Iroquois, and that is how they identify. It is the nation they play for, and they have used their own passports for travel to other world games. In fact, the FIL even requires players to show proof that they come from the countries they say they do. So using an Haudenosaunee passport should be an expectation, and not a hope, shouldn’t it?

Think of it this way, if Canadian passports weren’t accepted in some other country, would it be ok for the US to offer Canadian hockey players US Passports so they could travel to play there? Would the Canadians accept them? I doubt it. It’s a national pride thing. And it applies here because the Iroquois are a sovereign nation. Don’t believe me? Check out all the Treaties the US and Canada have both signed saying exactly that.

And for those who blame the managers of the team… Come on, now. Let’s be real. Since when did a lacrosse program’s manager have the power and sway to change passport law? Or to get a national governing body to update their passports? I can answer that for you: NEVER. I know lacrosse is a big deal for the Iroquois, but would you expect any other national lacrosse body to be able to change passport law? No, you wouldn’t. So why do you expect it here? I hear this argument constantly, and it is extremely ignorant.

- The Iroquois were then placed in the third (Plum) division, along with Spain, Hong Kong, and Norway. They were given forfeits for each of their games against the three other countries after it became apparent they would not be showing up. I am not sure why they were bumped from one to three, as opposed to from one to two.

- Then the playoff brackets emerged. The Iroquois, as far as I can tell, were not included in the brackets and given losses. Instead, they were relegated to last, with Denmark earning a bye in the first round of the lower bracket playoffs, instead of a 1-0 forfeit, which is what had happened for the earlier stages of the tournament. Why did the FIL include the Iroquois in the Plum division, but then not include them in the playoffs? The Iroquois did not withdraw from the tournament, so conceivably, every game should be a forfeit, right?

Why is the above important at all? Well, right now the FIL is arguing that they must follow their by-laws, and that their hands are tied… but it doesn’t seem like that is always the case, at least from the above scenario. When can rules be bent? When can they be broken? I hate the defense of “we are just following rules”. We can do better than that.

- And don’t forget the fine that the Iroquois paid for the rooms that they didn’t use. The FIL didn’t lose money there whatsoever. All was recouped. This is a non-issue.

- Of course then we get to the issue of Sweden missing the 2006 World Games. In 2002, Sweden finished 9th. In 2010, they finished 10th. In 2006, they didn’t compete. I’m not sure how not competing, and not withdrawing are that different, but I would LOVE to hear from the FIL as to why the two situations are different. Maybe it’s because in 2002, lacrosse was run by the ILF? Maybe there was a transition grace period? I don’t know. But I do know that if Sweden can be forgiven for MISSING a world championships altogether, we can collectively “forgive” the Iroquous for being BARRED from a world championship, right? I mean, that’s just common sense, no matter what the rules say.

- Currently, the FIL is deciding on how to best disseminate the materials required for a vote by the entire body. The materials could go out as early as the end of this week.

- It is now up to the General Assembly of member nations to decide the Iroquois’ fate. Perhaps the leadership of the FIL did not feel that it was their right to make this decision for all the member nations. Maybe that is why they are claiming to just “follow the by-laws”. But all that matters right now is how the member nations vote on the Iroquois’ appeal.

- I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. International Sport is one of the best ways for smaller nations to make their name on the world scene. It’s good for their culture, and for their sovereign rights, and staying power. It gives their people pride, and allows them to share their gifts with the rest of the world. It is something to be embraced, and cherished.

For lacrosse, there is no brighter small nation than the Iroquois. The Six Nations is an older confederacy than the US, or Canada, and the US Constitution even borrows from the Iroquois Confederacy’s Great Law of Peace. We owe the game to them, and so much more.

I was very excited for Denver in 2014. I was ready to pull up my stakes, and head out there for WEEKS to take in all the lacrosse, but honestly, if the FIL can’t get this right, I’m pretty sure I won’t be going at all. I just can’t support a group or tournament that doesn’t support its own people.

To exclude the Iroquois from the top division may “follow the rules” that have been laid out on paper, but it takes all thinking and soul out of the decision, and smacks of excuse making. Rules are rules, made by man. Lacrosse is a game, given to us by the Creator. Let’s not put our own laws before his, because there is no honor in that.

The song on the video is called “Finishing Moves” by Love You To Death and it’s off of their newest album! Enjoy, and support LYTD. They rock and Scotty Komer is a box lacrosse star. What more could you possibly want? Sheesh.

For more on the 2013 Ales Hrebesky, check out our post on how it was a TOTAL SUCCESS!

Also, how pretty are the new Under Armour gloves in the photo above? Shout out to Manny Chavez who noticed that in our Facebook album from Prague.

Video to come later this week!

Preparing for anything worthwhile begins months, sometimes years in advance. Countless hours, sleepless nights, and all types of sacrifices lay in the wake of success of any kind. My preparation for this tournament was no different. But what defines success? What about those who make all the sacrifices and fall just short of victory? What feelings should I have when I look back on this year’s tournament?

Just some of the awesome guys I’ve met here…

After our victory in the semi finals over a tough Nova Scotia Privateers team, my teammates and I were all riding high. We recognized that in just a few hours we’d have the opportunity to play for the championship under the lights in front of an enthusiastic home crowd. I briefly reflected on the sacrifices I made to get where I was before I made my way into the locker room with the rest of my team. We were all laughing, smiling, and celebrating. We knew that we had only short time to enjoy the win before we would need to refocus for the final in just a few hours.

My elation was short-lived and quickly turned to sorrow when I looked down the hall towards the locker room occupied by the Privateers. I noticed one of their players (a friend of mine from previous tournaments) sitting alone outside the locker room with his gear still on. His head was down, shoulders slumped forward, and there was a tear in his eye. I immediately sympathized with him.

I walked over to him, put my arm around him and said “Keep your head up, you have a lot to proud of”; easier said than done. That generic, but sincere, statement was the best I could muster to try to comfort a great player, a dear friend, and an all around good guy. He looked up and me and nodded, then wished me luck in the finals.

Trading jerseys with friends at the end… always fun!

After our loss in the finals, I was initially overwhelmed with feelings of anger and jealousy. I had not taken my own advice at all. I sat alone on the field with my gear still on, my head down, my shoulders slumped forward, and a tear in my eye. I felt no pride for my efforts, and thought that the entire time I spent preparing was all a waste.

I then looked over and saw my friend from the Privateers who I had spoken to earlier. He did not need to say a thing. I realized that I respected him, his efforts, and saw someone that should be proud of all they accomplished.

I perked right up.

I had a lot to be proud of and should keep my head up too. Despite the loss, this year’s tournament was a huge success. It brings people together, continues to inspire us to work hard, and helps us appreciate each other’s efforts. To me, THAT is success…  plus there’s always next year!

Check out all of Thorben’s contributions here.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

LAX-pirates are Boarding the German Ruhrgebiet

Lacrosse was not represented in the area of the Ruhrgebiet in Germany until 2009. Around Dr. Christian Späth, a small group of former players of other teams including Düsseldorf, Greifswald and Helsinki (Finland), founded the first lacrosse team in the Ruhrgebiet. The Ruhrpott Pirates.

First training sessions were very well received in April 2009 by students of the University of Essen. A home base wasn’t found for the Pirates in the beginning, so regular practice could only be carried out on different squares and parks around the city of Essen.

But soon afterwards the connection to the ETUF Essen was established, which benefited in well-structured training systems and facilities. So the first friendly match could take place on ETUF against the Red Rhinos from Belgium in August 2009.

In the same year, the men’s team participated in the league operating in the second German division and the ladies joined together in a gaming community with the people of Düsseldorf.

As an ambassador of lacrosse, the Pirates are always trying to make this beautiful sport popular in Germany. As a result, the “Glück auf Cup” was born in 2010 as an established annual tournament withe teams and Players all over Europe. This year’s edition of the cup will take place on 20th to 21st July in Baldeney Essen.

Playing for the men’s team isn’t easy. With the loss of Coach Adam Marshall, who moved to Munich and could immediately celebrate the first German championship with the Munich team, a difficult time began for the Pirates. Several players left the team due to a change of study or profession. Now, a year and a half later, the structures have strengthened again with Ralph Rüppell as a skilled coach and three players committed to be integrated into the team from their own youth. So the base for the coming years is already set.

The aim of the Pirates is to strengthen the team of the regular players by adding their own youth players and players of the student program of the University of Essen-Duisburg and to establish themselves in the top half of the ranking. In addition, the Pirates support the newly formed teams of Dortmund and Duisburg to further Grow The Game in Germany.

We’d like to give a big thank you to Thorben Fiswick, who assisted us in implementing our idea here on the blog!

Check out all of Thorben’s contributions here.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

A Good Start in the new Season

Our new season started early this year, so we had to play against the second team of the Cologne Indians Lacrosse Club on the 9th of March. It was the first test for us after our voluntary move down to the second division of the German Lacrosse League and it went very well.

After Cologne got the Early 1-0 lead we were strong enough to recover and turn the game around in the first quarter to a 3-2 lead. In a tough second quarter we were also able to expand our lead. The halftime was kind of turning point for the Cologne Indians. As we struggled in the first minutes of the second half, the Indians came back to even the score at 6-6. We took a time out, got focused again and showed our strength as a team. After two goals in a row and we brought our first victory of the season home.

The first victory was a huge step but only the first one of the season. In the long break of 5 weeks between the last and the next game we worked hard on our weaknesses to be prepared for the next challenge. On game day we headed up to Essen in the north-west of Germany to face the Ruhrpott Pirates. It was also a kind of reunion as we met our ex-teammate Jan Herrmann, who now is an attackman for Essen.

We started strong and were able to get an 3-0 lead in the first quarter by goals of Paul Weber, Jeff Struble, and Vince Umathum. During the second and third quarter, the Pirates played tough and the game became more and more interesting after two Pirate goals. But it was Johannes Rotter who scored two goals in a row with an assist by Tom Schütz to bring us back in a comfortable leading position. As we got more and more into the game we scored two more goals by Alexander Seitz and Paul Weber with an assist by Thorben Fiswick and got our second 7-4 win of the early season.