Haudenosaunee Nationals win bronze at World Lacrosse Men’s Championship | CBC News

The Haudenosaunee Nationals, a lacrosse team of players from the six nations that make up the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, won the bronze medal in the World Lacrosse Men’s Championship last weekend in San Diego, Calif.

The men’s team has been ranked the third best in the world for the past three years. On Saturday, they defeated Australia 11-6 in the bronze medal game, after losing to Canada 12-7 in the semifinals. The United States took the gold medal against Canada 10-7.

“We want gold. Unfortunately, we weren’t in that game,” said Warren Hill, the Nationals’ goalie from Six Nations, Ont.

“It feels better to end the tournament on a win than a loss, for sure …. To come back with the medal at the world stage … It’s a great accomplishment.”

The 2023 championship in San Diego was the 14th edition of the international men’s field lacrosse tournament organized by World Lacrosse.

Hill plays for the Halifax Thunderbirds in the National Lacrosse League and found himself up against some of his teammates, who were playing for Team Canada and Team USA. 

“There’s a lot of mutual respect but there’s kind of no love lost as soon as that whistle blows,” he said.

Darcy Powless, the Nationals’ general manager from Six Nations, said playing seven games in seven days proved too exhausting for the team.

“By the time the semifinal came around with Canada, we were just out of gas and out of legs,” he said.

An extra day off before the bronze medal game against Australia, “gave everybody a lot more energy and a little more get up and go to go and win the bronze medal.”

For the Nationals players, lacrosse is ingrained in the culture, played for both ceremony and sport. Hill said he has been playing for most of his life as part of a “lacrosse family” in Six Nations.

“I was kind of born into it,” he said.

“We didn’t really have a choice but I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Hill said this time of year arenas in his community are packed with people playing lacrosse and those cheering them on. 

“You can see it every day in Six Nations … the kids playing outside, whether that be playing catch or ball against the wall, having mini games.”

Despite the hectic tournament schedule, Hill was eager to get back to playing in his community.

“I truthfully just love this game too much,” he said.

“I’m willing to play like a few days after that long, grueling tournament.”

Fan favourites

Brooke Rice travelled from Kahnawake, south of Montreal, to watch the Nationals play lacrosse.

“It has been played for so long and it brings good medicine to the people,” said Rice.

Powless said he was grateful for the support the team received throughout the tournament.

“We had Team Latvia cheering for us,” he said.

“We had Team Netherlands cheering for us. Team France wore the Every Child Matters chin straps on their helmets.” 

He also said fan support from other Indigenous nations was fantastic.

“We had guys driving two and a half hours every day to come and watch us play,” he said.

“They know when we succeed, they’re succeeding.”