LACROSSE CANADA’S VISION

A CLOSER LOOK LACROSSE CANADA’S VISION;

I know, I know at this time of the year very few people in lacrosse are interested in Lacrosse Canada’s vision for the future.

Lacrosse volunteers, coaches, parents and administrators, in June, are going about with their passion for the game and worrying about paying the officials, making sure there are officials at their games, having enough cars to transport the team to its next away game, hoping that the arena floor will not be humid or wet, having scorekeepers for the next game, paying fees or fines, making playoffs and appreciating their team’s performance or trying to cope with another painful defeat.

That’s the lacrosse season for many; that’s where the action is; that is what lacrosse is all about. Blistering shots and dancing nets!

But there is another season for lacrosse; a season which last twelve months every year. It’s the politics of lacrosse, the activity which determines how the game will be played, administered, governed and developed. It’s the season when budgets are drafted, monies are spent and directions are given. It’s the season when leaders establish their vision for the game and where they want to take everyone along. It’s the unseen season where the hidden hand creeps and drives the car as we all go along.

Some will say that Mid-June might not be the best time of the year to look at the politics of lacrosse. I beg to differ! Bear with me and let’s have a look at where we are collectively going. Because the politics of lacrosse are what is taking the game along and defining what its future will be.

First let’s look at the mission statement which has not changed in the last 15 years: ‘’To promote, develop and preserve the sport of lacrosse and its heritage as Canada’s national summer sport.’’

Mission statements define organization and are often obvious motherhood statements. The leaders and the membership are comfortable with this mission statement; so am I.

Secondly let’s look at the vision set forward by the leaders of our game.

From 2020 to 2024 the vision for lacrosse, in the strategic plan, was the following: ‘’Lacrosse, our life, our family, our game; make it yours’’.

Now let’s make sure we all understand what a ‘’vision’’ is; it’s a strategic statement of hope, dreams and expectations trying to identify what the future of the game (or of the corporation) will be in the coming years. It’s something like an answer to a question such as ‘’how do you see yourself in 10 years?’’ It’s an invitation to project yourself (your game or your corporation) into the future but mostly it is what one bases itself upon to establish goals, programs and investments in order to try to reach the said vision.

Clearly if we look again at the 2020-2024 vision statement, we can all see that Lacrosse Canada has failed to identify a vision for the future. At best its mission statement is a desperate plea for some to try our game because we have one knee on the ground, because we are good people from good families and because we honor our country and are begging some to make our game theirs. That’s what it really is; a desperate plea for unknown and unidentified neighbors to make our game theirs. Nothing else. Seriously would you have picked up lacrosse after reading such an ‘’inspiring’’ vision statement.?

Our leaders of the past, let’s be clear, did not have a vision for the game nor for the corporation and in no way lined up their goals, programs and investments along the lines of such a shy and humble vision statement. No wonder the game was not moving forward; our leaders had no idea where to take it.

This brings us to the 2025-2028 statement; the vision for the future is the following: ‘’To ignite a nationwide passion for the game cultivating a vibrant and inclusive community that engages participants of all ages, abilities and backgrounds’’.

Already there is an effort to project oneself into the future, to look to a future that would be better than what the present is at this time. Our leaders want to ignite a nationwide passion for the game. Great! But are we not trying to ignite (start) something that is already there? Have you ever met someone in lacrosse who was not passioned by and with the game. Let’s not take my personal experience as proof but let’s just look at it. In the 43 years that I have been involved with the game locally, provincially and nationally I have yet to try to remember someone who was not passionate about the game. Maybe you also have experienced the same assessment; maybe everyone has. A non-passionate lacrosse person is a dead person. I fear our vision for the future is an expression of what exists today. Passion is there, it’s everywhere, and in everyone.

Let’s assume we are wrong and that there is no nationwide passion for the game let’s then look at Lacrosse Canada’s goals and programs and try to see what is there that will ignite a nationwide passion for the game. Look seriously and tell me if you see anything in the strategic pillars, in the programs and in the budget that will lead you to believe that something is done to ‘’ignite’’ a nationwide passion for the game. I fear we are reinventing the wheel. Forget about igniting something that is already burning.

The second part of the vision statement deals with inclusion and diversity and with a vibrant community.

Clearly, for anyone who has been paying attention, this part of the vision statement is directed at Sport Canada telling the funding agency that we are working on diversity and inclusion as asked in Sport Canada’s document on better governance within national sport federations. But the main question is: ‘’How are we working on inclusion and diversity?’’ when 50% of our budget is spent on National Teams, 11% on National championships while, read this slowly, 2,500$ is enthusiastically spent on domestic development.

The 2025-2028 vision statement is a word salad in no way related with Lacrosse Canada’s goals (pillars) and budget. It’s just words as if Lacrosse Canada had a homework to do and did it.

Yes, it’s slightly better than the previous one but clearly it does not indicate what our dreams and hopes are for the game or for the corporation; however vibrant the community will be!

Now I have asked myself what a significant vision statement would be and I have come up with what could be a suggestion.

Lacrosse, on every field, in every gymnasium, in every arena and in every school throughout Canada”.

Now, does that not turn you on. It’s simple, oriented towards a positive future with measurable references. Nothing fancy; just a statement that we want the game to be played everywhere and by everyone in Canada.

That, in my mind, is what a vision statement is. Goals, programs and budgets would then need to follow in that direction.

Hey, what do you think?