URGENT CHANGES NEEDED AT LACROSSE CANADA; the opportunities are there

by Pierre Filion pierrefilion@bell.net

The firing of Lacrosse Canada’s Executive Director a few days ago could be a great opportunity for change at the National Association. Not just a change in ‘’top staff’’ but mostly a change in attitude and in the nature of relationship with the Provincial Associations and the members.

Many will tend to look at the causes of the firing and at the elements which have led the Board of Directors to fire its top man. Juicy details will come out and, obviously, distasteful rumors will fly around and distract many from what could be an opportunity for change.

The ball is in the Board of Directors’ court. They have a unique opportunity to redirect Lacrosse Canada into the world of real democratic associations who place the members at the center of their concern.

Here is a serious look at what the Board of Directors can do to reestablish the Association’s credibility which has been shattered by the top man’s firing. All the changes indicated here emerge from BASIC GOVERNANCE

Review the Association’s strategies and ‘’pillars’’ and come up with a national plan with clearly stated and measurable goals for the game and for the Association. There are not many PhDs in our game; the Board needs to include some provincial experts and draft a simple plan which will enthuse the members. Lacrosse Canada does not need complicated structures, hundreds of graphs and dozens of pages to hide behind in times of problems. Give us three measurable goals which we will all understand and support.

Establish a new and positive vision for the game; why not something like ‘’Lacrosse in every arena, in every gymnasium and on every field throughout Canada’’. The present vision is shy and is just an illusion. It is concerned about the Association and not about the game. Lacrosse Canada should serve the game and not itself.

Review the Association’s values and spend a little bit of time linking the values with the way the Association operates. Values are not just kind words that make strategic plans look good; they are the driving force behind actions. Lacrosse Canada needs to make sure the professed values of accountability, respect and team work are in application in everything the Association does. This is not deep-down tortuous and painful soul searching; it’s simply the recognition that Lacrosse Canada has operated without its professed values…

Reignite relations with the provincial member associations and recognize that they are the Association’s dominant financial supporters. They are ‘’the members’’ to whom Lacrosse Canada reports; it’s not the other way around. An attitude change is needed if Lacrosse Canada wishes to be respected. Respect others first and then expect to be respected; but Lacrosse Canada needs to do the first step and come down from its Ivory Tower and listen to the members.

Ask the members to elect a treasurer who will report to the Board (and to them) on the Association’s finances. A national association cannot leave the Association’s finances in the sole hands of a flashy Executive Director. An elected treasurer is the first step for checks and balances. This is basic governance. A treasurer is not a blind volunteer who signs checks and is dominated by the Executive Director. A treasurer is the members’ watchdog, a straight and honest person who works within an approved budget and avoid deficits like the plague. Because it’s the members money he is overseeing.

Review the 2026-27 budget (April 1^st to March 31^st) and indicate that the National Teams will only benefit from Federal Grants and monies raised through sponsorships and partnerships. No dollar from the membership contributions (1,894,619$) should be allocated to the National Teams. Let’s be honest. Every signific and international competition is only with the USA; we will either win gold or silver medals. We all know that; we need not use the members’ money for medals.

Change the narrative that edicts that medals in Olympic competitions will increase the number of lacrosse players. Olympic medals bring pride, enjoyment, momentary visibility but do not increase the number of players. A recent study from University of Toronto confirmed this in ‘’Federal funding linked to more medals for Canadian Olympians…but less participation in grassroots sports’’ (Peter Donnelley and Bruce Kidd). We all know that gold medals don’t bring new players to our game. No one is less Canadian for saying it.

Bring the ICE police officers back home. The Imposed Commissioners’ Expedition (ICE) is a blatant insult to the Provincial Associations and a direct federal involvement in provincial matters. It needs to be stopped right now if Lacrosse Canada wishes to entertain normal relations with the provinces. The imposed National Commissioners in charge (!) emerge from a centralized and authoritarian vision of what a National Association is. It is a very negative message sent to the Provincial Associations. Anyone with any tendency towards cynicism would rightfully say… ’’Clean up your own house before talking to us about oversight’’..

Issue on the website the minutes of Board meetings five days after the meetings to allow the voting and paying members across the nation to read the minutes and to assess the elected leaders’ accountability. This is basic governance. Posting announced minutes months after the meetings is an indication of mistrust and despisal towards the members and a huge problem in terms of democratic behavior. This is basic governance.

Create a vehicle for the President to communicate with the members on the Association’s website. The president has a huge challenge in restoring trust towards the Association. It needs to be done quickly for the Association to move away from the bad reputation that the departed ED has created for everyone.

Financially support the Members’ Council composed of 11 provincial presidents. As indicated above (but needs to be repeated) the provinces send to Lacrosse Canada 1,894,619$ in membership money. Some of this money should be turned back to the Members’ Council to ensure that the Council works efficiently and is active in positive terms formulating to LC the members’ wishes, opinions and projects. The Members’ Council should not be looked at as a group of childish protestors and bitchers; the provincial presidents are the closest actors linked with the members; they must be listened to and financially supported with the money they have sent to Lacrosse Canada.

Create a ‘’Members’ page’’ on the website where the game’s volunteers and paying partners could express themselves and send opinions and comments directly to the Association. A Members’ page, properly managed, would allow the adults in our game the opportunity to be linked to Lacrosse Canada and mostly interested in the affairs of the Corporation.

Establish a plan to benefit from the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. It is absurd that a National Association does not have a single plan and no financial investment into a strategy to benefit from the Games which will be played right next door. Time is of the essence; the Games are in 2028. Let’s not do with the Olympic Games what we did with the Canada Games; just watch the train pass by!

Create a strategy to penetrate the Canadian school system both academically and technically. There are millions of captive Canadian students in school. Millions. Lacrosse Canada has ignored this reality preferring the comfort of 52,000 paying members. Every sport has developed strategies to systematically penetrate the school system with great return in terms of visibility, accessibility, quality of play and increased participation and membership. Lacrosse Canada has watched all those other sports grow and has missed the boat. But the school system is still there and the ball is clearly in ‘’our court’’. A plan! A strategy! Something!

Hey, Lacrosse Canada has great opportunities to take better care of our battered ship…Let’s see what happens.