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IS THERE HOPE FOR SOMETHING CALLED TRUST AT LACROSSE CANADA?

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IS THE RE HOPE FOR SOMETHING CALLED TRUST A T LACROSSE CANADA? by Pierre Filion pierrefilion@bell.net Our last post dealt with the history and culture of mistrust at Lacrosse Canada. Readers all had their own horror stories and seemed to think that there was no solution to the culture of mistrust. I disagree and want to contribute, as positively as possible, to some sort of improvement in the relationships that lacrosse people have with one another. Here are some pathways that could be considered. 1.Just tell the truth I know, I know, no one lies in lacrosse. Everyone tells the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth! Yet we are an association of Pino c chios ! I also know that it is totally naïve to suggest that people should tell the truth as there will be hundreds of reasons not to really engage in telling the truth. So , I’ll leave this to everyone’s assessment, but still will suggest that when dealing with members, in a democratic and open association, leaders shou...
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Duane “Dewey” Jacobs

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  Duane  “ D ewey ”  Jacobs Quiet and Skilled Leader Four  Time Hall of Famer Besides winning three Mann Cup championships as a player and assistant captain with the Six Nations Chiefs (1994, 1995, 1996), Duane Jacobs has won the prestigious Mann Cup trophy six more times (2013, 2014, 2016, 2023, 2024 and 2025) with the Six Nations franchise as a coach and executive member. Over 11 seasons, he scored 453 points in 130games as a player in the National Lacrosse League and won the Champions Cup as a player with the Rochester Knighthawks in 1997. When his career as a player ended, Dewey coached the Minnesota Swarm for three seasons.  Known for his extreme intelligence, quiet leadership style and work ethic, Jacobs was inducted in to the Rochester Knighthawks Hall of Fame in 2009, the Ontario Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2015, the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2019 and the North American Indigenous Athletic Hall of Fame in 2026.
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CANADIAN LACROSSE; A HISTORY AND A CULTURE OF MISTRUST

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  By Pierre Filion pierrefilion@bell.net I have attended 43 CLA ( L acrosse Canada) annual general meetings between 1973 and 2017; I have also attended every semi-annual meeting in that period along with numerous Board meetings, E xecutive committee meetings and sector meetings. I was there , I saw what I saw and heard what I heard . In no way , however, am I suggesting that I have a full perspective of ‘’the complete history’’ of Lacrosse Canada b ut 43 years of active presence might be something to take into account! A HI S TORY OF MISTRUST Allow me to shed some light on what I have seen as a constant and repetitive history of mistrust between the national and provincial associations. I’ll just share some factual examples to illustrate my point. Some elements are very significant; some are shocking; others less, but they all point in the same direction; lack of trust! My first CLA meeting was in 1973 in Vancouver; Jim Bishop and Morley Kells were in BC at that time to me...
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Mann Cup Facts and Figures

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  The Mann Cup is lacrosse’s equivalent to hockey’s Stanley Cup and is awarded annually to the Canadian senior men's box lacrosse championship team. The championship series is a best four out of seven series.  Ontario (the East – Major Series Lacrosse League) versus British Columbia (the Western Lacrosse Association). Mann Cup History It is common knowledge to lacrosse fans; the Mann Cup was donated in 1910 by Sir Donald Mann (a Canadian railway contractor).  Initially, a challenge trophy, in 1925 the then current champion New Westminster Salmonbellies gave the trophy to the Canadian Lacrosse Association.  The CLA created a national playoff system.  Initially, challenges and championships for the Mann Cup were competed by rules of field lacrosse. However, in 1932 box lacrosse was adopted by the CLA and the first Mann Cup was played at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto. Unknown by many lacrosse followers, there have been three Mann Cup trophies – the original and two...
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BELGIUM LACROSSE GROWS WITH CANADIAN HELP

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  By Jason Tasse jtasse@leevalley.com In 2020, I embarked on an ambitious journey with the Belgium Men’s National Lacrosse Team to launch the program as the inaugural coach. It all began as a small, dedicated group of core players, and since we were launching during the pandemic, our early days were all about virtual connection. We held Zoom chats to go over lacrosse fundamentals, ran chalk-talk sessions, and built the foundation of our team entirely online for about a year. When we finally launched the program in the latter part of the pandemic, it brought its own set of challenges. Travel and competition were tricky, but the core group of players showed incredible passion and commitment. They were the heart and soul of our efforts, and they won me over with how caring and dedicated they were. From the start, our vision was about more than just immediate success. We wanted to bring the principles of Canadian lacrosse to Belgium, planting the seeds at the grassroots level. This m...
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Rich Kilgour

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Rich Kilgour Multi-Hall of Fame Player 1 Minto and 4 Mann Cup Championships Standing 6 feet tall and weighing 185 pounds, Rich Kilgour was known for being a defensive specialist. He played his junior lacrosse with St. Catharines winning a Minto Cup in 1990. During his junior career, Kilgour scored 136 goals and 218 assists for a total of 354 points in 88 games while addi n g 145 penalty mi nutes ( impressive numbers for a defensive specialist) . After his junior career, Rich Kilgour was part of four Mann Cup championship team s (Brampton in 1993 and Six Nations in 1994, 1995, 1996). Drafted by the Buffalo Bandits of the National Lacrosse League, Kilgour spent 18 seasons as an integral member of four NLL championship teams. Rich Kilgour served as team captain for 12 seasons for a team that played in eight championship games. He finished his NLL career with 156 points comprised of 107 goals and 249 assists in 200 regular season games. Upon retiring from playing, Rich Kilgour took...
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SHOULD ANYONE TRUST LACROSSE CANADA?

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By Pierre Filion pierrefilion@bell.net Before reading this article, it is essential that readers have the opportunity to take into account Lacrosse Canada’s statement of December 5 th called ‘’A new era for Lacrosse Canada’’. It’s on Lacrosse Canada’s website on the home page. A must read. But now here is what we have to say about the ‘’unsigned statement’’. Nothing less than a new ERA. ‘’Lacrosse Canada is entering a new era.’’ Hey that indicates a major change. Usually, an era refers to a long period of time. In geological terms it calls for hundreds of years. We are being told that Lacrosse Canada’s changes will last for a long period of time. All this is following an election in September 2025 where four new members joined the Board of Directors. Four members who seem to have a very high opinion of themselves. Hey, there was an election with many mistakes in the number of votes allocated to each province. Maybe a slight reservation should be presented following an election ama...
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