IS THERE HOPE FOR SOMETHING CALLED TRUST AT LACROSSE CANADA?

IS THERE HOPE FOR SOMETHING CALLED TRUST AT 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 Pinocchios! 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 should always tell the members the truth and allow the members, as adults, to deal with the information and the facts at hand.

The members should expect Lacrosse Canada, minimally, to tell them how many players are registered to LC. The members, in January 2026, should know what the audited statement was for 2024-25 (year ended in June 2025); they should, seven months into the 2025-26 fiscal year, have knowledge of the financial situation of their association. They should know how many people have attended the first international coaching clinic held last year. They should not have to search for relevant information… It should be there on the site, open and visible…And I could go on and on. The point is in the nature of the relationship with the members. The more the members are told the truth, and trusted, the more they will want to be part of the Association. The more the members are sent mistruth or half-truth (and not trusted) the more they will mistrust the national association they are funding generously.

The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

2.Discover and appreciate the other members

Who are the members? What are their struggles? What are their strategies? Who are their leaders and Board members? What are their values? What are their goals?

What does Lacrosse Canada really know about its members; its paying members! What more do they know other than the amount of money they should pay to the National Association every year? How many times have LC’s Board members communicated with the provinces, not to remind them of their fees that must be paid but to talk about the situation of the game in the province? How many LC Board members can even name the Board members of member provinces?

Until LC and the provinces get to know who their partners are there will be mistrust and hidden agendas.

Imagine for a short moment if New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Québec, Manitoba and Saskatchewan decided to get together and engage in a shared developmental strategy that would increase the number of members and elevate the provincial level of play. These five provinces have many similarities and would not suffer in working together, in getting to know one another and in improving within national competitions. Only trust will bring these provinces together. Someone has to make the first step.

Imagine if LC’s Board members were tasked with the responsibility of engaging with one province each; of communicating with the provincial Board members, in sitting down with elected leaders and provincial staff members to share perspectives, visions, facts, information and common goals! Just, simply, communicate, listen and learn.

3.The need for a common goal.

At this time there is not ONE common goal for the members to gather along with Lacrosse Canada and to pursue. Very difficult to trust partners when different goals are pursued or worse when goals are not clearly identified, measured and evaluated seriously.

Lacrosse Canada has non-measurable pillars; some provincial associations have goals (objectives), some don’t. We jump on our horses and run in every direction at the same time.

Pursuing a common goal calls for provincial input into the process by which the goal (or goals) will be established; it calls for everyone to see the benefits for everyone. At this time Lacrosse Canada’s goals (identified in terms of pillars) are for Lacrosse Canada’s benefits. The members, if ever they look at Lacrosse Canada’s strategic plan, will not see anything that benefits them. Lacrosse Canada is for Lacrosse Canada, funded by the members who are ignored along the way.

This state of affairs cannot lead us anywhere else than towards mistruth.

Get the members together and establish a goal (or goals) that will benefit everyone; something like ‘’increasing the number of lacrosse players across the country’’ or ‘’penetrating the school system throughout Canada’’. That is what the members would like to see; that also is something that will increase Lacrosse Canada’s revenues. We would have winners here sharing successes and trust.

Someone has to step up.

4.The president is the man who needs to step up.

Lacrosse Canada has a new president; he is the one who now carries the responsibility to engage with the members (there are 11 member associations, not hundreds or thousands, just 11). He needs to know who they are, what their vision, goals and values are. The new president is the image of the corporation; he should be the trusted image of the corporation.

He should be Lacrosse Canada’s Jean Beliveau; honest, engaging, respectful and trusted.

The president has to be the trusted image of the corporation; he now is tasked with the responsibility of creating a culture of trust.

The president should lead an ‘’open shop’’ as we all know that a closed shop begs for mistrust and cultivates mistrust.

The president should ‘’open the books’’, make minutes of Board meetings available to the members in due time (and not six months after the meetings); he should share with the members (on the website) the challenges facing the corporation; he should care about the state of the game (everywhere in Canada) and explain the Board’s decisions in relations to the state of the game.

He should carry the corporation’s vision for the future of the game if ever the vision is serious and not just a word salad. He should ensure that Lacrosse Canada’s information circulated to the members is available easily, is thorough and nothing but the truth.

The president is our Jean Beliveau; remember; class, integrity, honesty, respect and trust. Every day!

There have been CLA presidents who came close to the Jean Beliveau approach to the truth; the new president could share a meal with them and learn from them how they did it, at what cost and with what benefits for the game.

We now know who needs to step up; who needs to open the door and walk towards the members.