Lacrosse

(“The Little Brother of War" /  "Te teina a Tūmatauenga”)

The Haudenosaunee (“People of the Longhouse”), or Iroquois Nations, are the originators of the game called Dehoñtjihgwa'és meaning "they who bump hips" - the game we know today as Lacrosse.  They represent the indigenous people that originally occupied extensive lands in what is now New York State, Southern Quebec, Ontario, and Canada.

The name ‘Lacrosse’ was coined by a French missionary who observed a game in 1630.  Lacrosse was originally used for two main reasons; it was played to entertain their creator and to train young men for war.  Lacrosse is a game that requires tremendous endurance, strength and skill and has been dubbed the fastest game on two feet.

As played today, men's lacrosse involves ten players per team and lasts 60 minutes in a space roughly the size of a football field. It is, to this day, a game of hard knocks and bruises, played with fast-paced, passionate zeal by both men and women.

Guide to Men's Lacrosse​​​​​​​