JUST, RESPECTFULLY, GIVE US THE FACTS; ALL THE FACTS

by Pierre Filion pierrefilion@bell.net

Lacrosse Canada’s April rah-rah rosy newsletter sent out to different members illustrates the type of relationship that Lacrosse Canada engages in with its members. It exemplifies the type of information that will circulate within the membership and mostly the relevant and useful information that will not circulate.

Make no mistake; this is not a ‘’oops moment’’; this is a planned execution to keep the members happy, joyfully twirling sticks but without the factful and credible information that would help them evaluate their leaders and their decisions.

Let’s have a look at two elements of the rah-rah April newsletter.

2026 NDTP (National team development program) WAS A HUGE SUCCESS

‘’The 2026 NDTP western Identification camp in Regina brought together top athletes from across western Canada for and exciting and competitive weekend development’’.

Lacrosse Canada is in the process of identifying field lacrosse athletes who could eventually play on the National Teams (men and women) in future world championships or in credible international competitions. The latest ID camp was held in Regina and, we are told, was a HUGE SUCCESS.

This is all great until one asks a simple question; how many athletes participated in the ID camp and which provinces did they emerge from? This information was not part of the rah-rah rosy newsletter and somehow is a relevant piece of information that the members would need to receive if they are invited to believe that the camp was a huge success.

So, THINK LACROSSE searched and found the information as nowhere was it to be found in the rah-rah rosy newsletter nor on Lacrosse Canada’s website. Surprise, surprise!

There were 103 participants within the ID camp who each paid 200$ to register to the western camp; 20,600$ revenue for the weekend for Lacrosse Canada. 64 participants were males and 39 females. 8 were from BC, 20 from Alberta, 16 from Manitoba and 59 from Saskatchewan (67%). BC and Alberta, somehow recognized as lacrosse powerhouses, together sent 28 players (27.1%) to the ID camp.

The 64 males were from different age categories; 24 were U15, 30 were U17 and 10 were U19; as for the 39 females 9 were from U15, 18 from U17 and 12 from U19.

Armed with this information the members can now ask the legitimate question; is this a huge success or is this a two-province success as Saskatchewan and Manitoba sent 75 of the 103 participants (72.8%).

They can also ask why this clear and objective information was not relayed as fact within the rah-rah rosy newsletter or on Lacrosse Canada’s website. Asking the question is somehow answering the said question.

They can also ask if all this energy with U15 and U17 boys and girls is really what Lacrosse Canada should be doing at this time. Imagine the U15 boys and girls involved in the NDTP will not play for the U20 National Team before five or six years. We have all heard of planning ahead but this might be a little bit out of touch in order to win a gold medal in a marginal game.

Lacrosse Canada does not deal in facts; it deals in creating emotions and pride and in insuring that the members believe that the National Teams’ program is a huge success. Lacrosse Canada omits the facts that might not gallantly serve its pathway to High Performance. We all remember how Lacrosse Canada totally ignored the 2025 international box clinic fiasco in Oshawa; nowhere was a report to be found as it would not have served Lacrosse Canada’s reputation and its pathway towards High Performance.

Just give us the facts and we’ll determine if it was a huge success or a good two province clinic well organized in Regina. Give us the facts and we’ll ask ourselves if this is all worth it.

THE CAROL PATTERSON CUP AS A STANDALONE BOX LACROSSE CHAMPIONSHIP FOR U22 WOMEN

Hey, great piece of information!

A national box lacrosse championship for U22 women.

Let’s just note the irony in this.

Carol Patterson, everyone knows, was and is totally committed to women’s field lacrosse both in Canada and in the United States. She was an outstanding player, then a coach, promotor and administrator of the field game and has built a network of positive field lacrosse contacts ‘’all over the place’’. To associate her name to box lacrosse is quite ironic and, simply said, sad!

The championship, Lacrosse Canada tells us, will bring together 6 provincial teams (Ontario, BC, Alberta, Nova Scotia, Manitoba and First Nations). Five provinces will not be there (PEI, NFLD, NB, Saskatchewan and Québec). Yet ten provinces participated in the latest Canada Games with provincial women’s box lacrosse teams within the range of the 2026 U22 competition. What has happened to the provincial investments related to the Canada Games for women’s box lacrosse? What has happened to the follow-up to the Canada Games?

What we know is that there will be about 120 women in Whitby for the standalone championship this summer?

What we don’t know, and rah-rah to you if you know, is the number of females who play box lacrosse in Canada. Your guess is as good as mine!

Lacrosse Canada only reports, once and very discretely, the number of register players who play box lacrosse but issues not publicly the number of males or females who play the game.

120 women will show up in Whitby; that we know. What we don’t know is the number of women who play the game and who make this competition a legitimate competition in view of the total number of registered players. Hopefully there are thousands of women who play box lacrosse and who thus make the Carol Patterson Cup a legitimate competition.

But we don’t know that and Lacrosse Canada is not telling us that. And we wonder why.

Lacrosse Canada does not deal in facts! It deals in a rah-rah approach to information issuing what serves its reputation and image. And it quietly does not refer to factual elements which could help the members appreciate the larger picture and have a better understanding of what is really going on!

The dates of Board meetings have disappeared from the website! This is not a ‘’my bad moment’’, it’s a voluntary decision not to inform the members. It’s a strategy to decrease their ability to evaluate their leaders. It clearly is not an indication of transparency, trust or respect!

The minutes of Board meetings do appear on the website but there is never a notice of their appearances. One has to navigate daily to, all of a sudden, find them. This is a voluntary decision not to make it easy on the members.

The schedule of Lacrosse Canada’s committee meetings does not appear on the website. They are: the governance and ethics committee; the hiring committee; the revenue generating committee; the LA 2028 advisory group; the finance and audit committee; the members’ council; and on and on and on. As if those committees did not even exist; as if the members did not even need to know they exist, or when they meet and what they discuss and vote on!

Just give us the facts; all the relevant facts. Stop toying with the members. Treat them as adults. Keep them in the loop because, at the end of the day, Lacrosse Canada is their Association.