Lacrosse has been a favourite sport of Canada’s for hundreds of years. History has shown that prior to European contact, First Nations across North America actively played the field sport and incorporated it within their religious life. Aboriginal warriors played against one another on vast fields reaching over a kilometer long.

Later on, in the mid 1800s, lacrosse gained widespread popularity among non-Aboriginal Canadians. By 1867, the National Lacrosse Association of Canada was formed, becoming the first governing body of sport in Canada. The game evolved into a team sport where players use sticks with netted pouches to catch, carry, and score on the opposing team’s net. Today, there are four distinct games in Canada: men’s field lacrosse, women’s field lacrosse, box lacrosse, and inter-crosse.

Fun fact, lacrosse became Canada’s official summer sport in 1994. (From the collection of the Nanaimo Museum)