| Lacrosse has the prestigious moniker of being | | | | packed game which was quickly accepted by all |
| Canada's national sport. Its history dates back 500 | | | | which led to the end of field lacrosse. |
| years, preceding hockey by centuries and is | | | | Today, lacrosse has four separate groupings- box |
| considered the original aboriginal North American game. | | | | lacrosse, men's field, women's field and inter-lacrosse ( |
| Known as 'baggataway' or 'tewaarathon' it was | | | | a non-contact version which can be adapted to age |
| considered to be "The Creator's Game" because the | | | | and skill level). In this version, players use a molded |
| First Nations people believed it to have been given to | | | | plastic stick and a much softer ball. It's generally used |
| them by the Creator to play for his amusement. A | | | | recreationally and for young children in school leagues. |
| recreational sport, it was also used to train young | | | | In 1994 lacrosse was re-confirmed by Parliament as |
| Native warriors for battle and settled disputes | | | | the National Summer Sport of Canada. It has been |
| between feuding tribes. | | | | played by many Canadians, every culture, religion and |
| By the 17th century, French colonists who were | | | | class. Both Pierre Trudeau and Lester B. Pearson |
| arriving in eastern Canada, witnessed the Mohawks | | | | played lacrosse in their youth. Other athletes played |
| playing baggataway. Loving the sport themselves, they | | | | lacrosse as well; NHL greats Wayne Gretzky and |
| changed the name to Lacrosse. The name came | | | | Conn Smythe, NFL great Jim Brown and one of the |
| from the way the stick appeared to look like a | | | | greatest all-round athletes of the 20th century Jim |
| Shepard's crook, a crosier carrier by the French | | | | Thope. |
| bishops. In the 19th century, a Montreal Dentist named | | | | By the end of the 20th century into the early 21st |
| William George Beers (interestingly enough) formed | | | | century, lacrosse experienced an international growth. |
| the first non-native club, the Montreal Lacrosse Club. | | | | Sadly, due to new regulations by the Olympic |
| He installed standardized rules a regulations and | | | | Federation it was not recognized to be a part of the |
| replaced the hair stuffed deerskin ball with an Indian | | | | Olympic Games. Thus, in 1967 the International |
| rubber one. During that time Lacrosse gained popularity | | | | Lacrosse Federation was started and has played |
| across the nation. Games would draw crowds of | | | | every four years since 1974, similar to the World Cup |
| 5000-10000 fans at a time, as eighty teams from | | | | of Soccer. Because of the world wide success of |
| every province competed across Canada. Because of | | | | lacrosse many people in the lacrosse community want |
| the passion for the game by both First Nations and | | | | to re-include lacrosse to the Olympic Games. |
| Europeans, it was a link between the native and | | | | Unfortunately the exclusion of the game is in the |
| European cultures cultivating an acceptance by both | | | | Olympic charter. It states that the sport must be |
| into society. | | | | played in at least 75 countries in order to be an |
| In the early 20th century, the Governor General of | | | | Olympic event. At the 1998 world championship, eleven |
| Canada, Lord Minto, donated a silver cup. This Minto | | | | teams participated, by 2002 five more countries |
| cup became the symbol of the Canadian | | | | competed. In 2006, the World Lacrosse championship |
| championship, and is still used in the junior ranks as the | | | | was held in London, Ontario, Canada and twenty one |
| coveted symbol of supremacy. By the 1930s lacrosse | | | | countries participated. It was won by Canada in front |
| was so popular, promoters melded lacrosse and | | | | of 7,700 fans. We can only hope that by these |
| hockey together to form Indoor Lacrosse, or Boxla. A | | | | statistics the game of lacrosse is not far away from |
| natural response to the limitations the Canadian winters | | | | re-entering the Olympic Games. |
| provided. Indoor Lacrosse proved a faster more action | | | | |
