The World Indoor Lacrosse Championship 2015 takes over the Onondaga Nation next month and in preparation for the historic event we will be taking a deeper look into each of the 13 nations that will be competing for the gold September 18th-27th, 2015!
Earning the silver medal in each of the previous WILC competitions is a group that almost needs no further introduction, so let’s get to know the home team, the Iroquois Nationals.
This is the first time an indigenous nation has been granted the right to host a world-sporting competition, so let’s get fired up for the Iroquois Nationals run for gold on their home soil!
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Iroquois Nationals
Iroquois Nationals Founded: 1980
Governing Body: Iroquois Nationals
Previous WILC Finish: 2
Website: iroquoisnationals.org
Facebook: /iroquoisnationalslacrosse
Twitter: @iroquoisnatslax
Instagram: @iroquois_lax
Preparations for the WILC 2015
What obstacles are still in the way of the Iroquois Nationals having the ideal WILC?
Injuries are always a factor in world events and considering the amount of lacrosse that our guys are playing these days, we just hope that all of our guys enter the WILC in the best condition that they can be in.
I would also say that because of the distance between each of our communities it is often difficult to get all of the practices and tryouts together as one would like. Try-outs take time and they are necessary so we have a fair selection process but sometimes you just want to pull a team together and begin working on preparing for the games.
I think each year we continue to focus on making sure that we have strong players from all of our communities. We want more participation from nations that have not had as much representation on previous teams.
What is the furthest members of the team have to travel for the event?
We have a couple of guys who are from Western Canada, and it is great that we have the ability to draw guys from other First Nations Communities. This is good for community relations building as well as growing the game and the reach of the Iroquois Nationals Program.
Ideally there will be other First Nations teams fielding their own teams in the future. Until then, we are happy to welcome our friends from other territories and nations.
Iroquois Nationals History
When were the Iroquois Nationals founded and by whom?
“The sport has been around for centuries, predating even the European settlement of North America; it is believed the Native Americans invented the game of Lacrosse as early as the 12th century. Lacrosse is not only a sport, but originally was played as a spiritual endeavour, meant to give thanks and praises to the gods, a tradition which the Iroquois Nationals lacrosse team follows to this day.
The original version of the game was played with possibly hundreds of players at a time on a field that could range up to a mile in length and would continue for days. Given the number of players, and the physicality lacrosse demands, it is with good reason that the Eastern Cherokee name for the sport roughly translates to “little war.” The game, however, has little to do with inspiring aggression. “We play this game to give enjoyment to the Creator,” clarified Ansley Jemison, general manager of the Iroquois Nationals.
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The Iroquois Nationals team is the only Native American team authorized to play a sport internationally. The FIL accepted the Iroquois Confederacy as a full member nation in 1987, and they participated in their first competition in 1990. Since then, the Nationals then proven their mettle. “The game is absolutely still a big part of our culture,” said Jemison, when asked about the team’s importance today. “We are very proud to represent our nation.” As part of the agreement with the FIL, Native Americans from other tribes are also eligible to tryout and play for the Nationals.
The Nationals have been endorsed by Nike since 2008, and receive other funding from various sources including prominent Native American businesses. They are now a long way away from the donated equipment and airline tickets that saw them through the 1990 LWC. Under-funded at the outset, the Iroquois Nationals made a name for themselves and attracted investments and interest from around North America. Nowadays, their players are offered scholarships and recruited by the best university teams.”
Borrowed from IroquoisNationals.org, authored by Lena Camara
What other events have the Iroquois Nationals competed in internationally?
- World Indoor Lacrosse Championship 2003 – 2nd Place
- World Indoor Lacrosse Championship 2007 – 2nd Place
- World Indoor Lacrosse Championship 2011 – 2nd Place
- World Indoor Lacrosse Championship 2015 – TBD
The very first appearance of an early form of the Iroquois Nationals was at The Nations 1980, also the very first world championship for box lacrosse.
The Iroquois Nationals also participated in a yearly friendly against the United States known as the Bowhunter Cup from 2010-2013. The series saw different variations of national teams and development squads compete in the 4 years of the event.
2015 Players and Staff
In general, how would you describe the players on the Iroquois Nationals? What are the guys like off the field?
We have a good group of guys that are very familiar with each other, the familiarity has been a plus when picking this team. I think that as a whole from the coaching staff on down to players and management we have a solid team.
We are excited about the organization and commitment from the General Manager and the professionalism of his coaching staff. The players we have selected for this team bring a wealth of experience which will go unmatched in many ways. Our players bring with them tradition and culture as well as athletic ability.
Which key individuals from the Nationals should lacrosse enthusiasts look toward as an ambassador of the game?
We are returning a number of key veterans from our 2011 World Indoor team and their experience and leadership will certainly be appreciated and something that we will lean on for leadership.
A couple of familiar faces will be the Thompson brothers (Lyle, Miles, Jerome and Hiana), they have achieved a bit of celebrity status in the lacrosse world with their recent successes during their college playing days.
Sid Smith is a pivotal leader for this team and he is a true leader by example and on the field play.
Our General Manager Landon Miller and his coaching staff believe that the foundation and core of this team begins with our goaltenders and their philosophy starts from that position and extends out from there.
Who are the team’s most experienced players for the WILC?
Because of the cultural and spiritual significance of lacrosse to the Iroquois Nationals, it’s almost impossible to label and rank the experience of the men.
Lacrosse is shared with children at such a young age in the communities, that most of the roster was learning to walk with a stick in their hands. Although there is a range of ages, lacrosse has served as a major life experience for the majority of the organization.
Who comprises the Iroquois Nationals coaching staff and what is their experience?
General Manager Landon Miller serves as the Assistant General Manager of the Rochester Knighthawks, winning 3 NLL Champion’s Cups in a row with the franchise. Miller also served as the president of the Six Nations Arrows for a six-year tenure, winning the 2014 Minto Cup and making the Ontario Finals four times.
Rich Kilgour played for the Iroquois Nationals back in 2003 and will take over as head coach reigns for WILC 2015. Kilgour has served as the Buffalo Bandits’ assistant coach for 3 years following a monumental career as a player with the Bandits for 18 seasons, winning 4 championships. Kilgour also captured back-to-back Mann Cups as head coach of the Six Nations Chiefs.
Duane Jacobs will serve as an assistant coach on the Iroquois bench after capturing silver medals in 2007 and 2011 as Head Coach. Jacobs was a member of the 2003 silver medal winning squad before he began his role as a coach. His career stretched 11 years in the NLL, where he earned won a NLL championship with the Rochester Knighthawks. As a coach, Jacobs captured back-to-back Mann Cups with the Six Nations Chiefs after coaching three seasons in the NLL.
Darris Kilgour will return as an assistant coach after working with the team in the WILC 2011. Kilgour is a former Les Bartley Award winner, given to the NLL Coach of the Year, and currently stands as the all-time winningest coach in league history (121 wins over 11 years).
This is Andy Secore’s first appearance as an Iroquois coach, after competing with the team in the WILC 2011, helping the Iroquois Nationals to a silver medal. Secore is an assistant with the Rochester Knighthawks, where he has won three straight NLL championships. He also worked with the Six Nations Arrows as they captured their recent Minto Cup.
What are some steps that those of us outside of Six Nations can take to better understand the culture before the WILC?
Come with an open mind and be a good guest and I promise you that we will extend our welcome to you.
We are proud to be able to host this world event and we look forward to hosting the 13 nations who will be participating in the World Games. Hopefully we will have more time to interact with the other countries off the field and be able to share the moment together in peace and friendship.
The core basis of this tournament is being played in Peace and Friendship. The Haudenosaunee People are a proud and resilient people who have had many years of international diplomacy experience. We have been here before the formation of the US and Canada, and we have taught our European Counterparts how to survive in this part of the world.
Understand that we are not people in a text book, we are a proud people who are still very much alive.
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Thanks to Ansley Jemison from the Iroquois Nationals for taking the time for this interview.
