Being the first person to do anything cool in a professional sports league is notable, and in many cases, it’s also important. Cody Jamieson, captain of the Halifax Thunderbirds, made history on Saturday, April 11 when he became the first Indigenous player to reach 1,000 career points in the National Lacrosse League (and 17th player overall, making him part of an exclusive club).
Jeff Shattler was previously the league’s leading Indigenous scorer, having reached 889 points in his 16-year career.
Heading into the Thunderbirds’ game versus Buffalo at Keybank Center, Jamieson needed four points to hit the milestone. He assisted on Dawson Theede’s goal at 5:48 of the third quarter, scored his own goal to close out the frame, and then picked up an assist on Clarke Petterson’s fourth-quarter opening goal.
The milestone point came on his second goal of the game, as he tied the game for the seventh time, 12-12, at the 5:15 mark of the fourth of the back-and-forth battle.
Congratulations to Cody Jamieson! With this goal, the @HFXThunderbirds captain becomes the FIRST Indigenous player to reach 1,000 career points. pic.twitter.com/spHcJROyBj
— NLL (@NLL) April 13, 2025
The Bandits ended up scoring the final three goals of the game for the 15-12 win, but Jamieson is relieved the moment is over.
“I’ve been trying to get there for a couple weeks now,” he said. “It’s something I’m glad is over because I’m tired of people asking me about it, quite honestly. But I didn’t know I was the first Indigenous player to hit it. I assumed there was at least one or two. Hopefully, I’m the first of many. That’s exciting.”
After a standout collegiate career at Onondaga Community College and Syracuse University, Jamieson joined the League in 2011, drafted first overall by the Rochester Knighthawks. He finished his rookie season with the first 53 points of his career, behind Shawn Williams and Shawn Evans. Jamieson led the Knighthawks in scoring for the next five seasons until he was sidelined with an injury. He was instrumental in helping the team win their 2012-2014 three-peat.
National Lacrosse League game between the Halifax Thunderbirds and Ottawa Blackbears on March 21 2025 at the Scotiabank Center in Halifax, Nova Scotia. (Trevor MacMillan/Halifax Thunderbirds)
He was the Knighthawks’ captain and is still captain in Halifax, and also takes the reins with the Six Nations Chiefs in the summer and has captained the Haudenosaunee Nationals in international play. A number of those asked about Jamieson for this article mentioned how smart he is on the floor, and how his leadership is something to be emulated.
He gave credit to former Knighthawks’ captain Sid Smith and Thunderbirds’ offensive coach Stew Monture, both from Six Nations, for that.
“I followed Sid around like a little puppy dog,” Jamieson said. “To Onondaga, then to Syracuse, then getting drafted to Rochester. He was my captain right from Bantam lacrosse. I learned a lot about leadership and about how to conduct yourself, how to carry yourself from him. In that same sense, Stew Monture was my captain my rookie year of Jr. A and he showed me, tough love would be the proper word, and that definitely struck home for me and opened my eyes on the game of lacrosse, seeing it in a different way than I had seen it before.”
With 1000 points to choose from, Jamieson couldn’t pinpoint one that stood out more than the others.
“I know I scored a couple big goals somewhere in there and assisted on a couple of big ones, but I don’t know what would be most memorable,” he said. “I know I had a good game in my first championship in Rochester. I’ve never really kept track of my goals and assists, really, it’s championships and wins and contributing to the team’s success, whether it be to score a goal or get the assist or change hard. I’ve always just been a whatever it takes to win guy.”
And what comes next for the legend-in-the-making?
“Hopefully, many more championships! I won three pretty early in my first four years in the league and nothing since. I lost one along the way. Those are the funnest times when you can end your season on a high note and the joy. I’ve won a few championships in other leagues as well, so those are the funnest times when everyone is so excited and happy to be around each other.”
Halifax has clinched a playoff spot, and will learn this weekend after visiting Toronto whether they’ll host a quarterfinal game.
Toronto-bound for our regular-season finale ⚡️
Game Preview ➡️ https://t.co/BuUNXyHt2t pic.twitter.com/1peRCKjK4L
— Halifax Thunderbirds (@HFXThunderbirds) April 17, 2025
Because Jamieson is such a respected and admired player around the League, we gave his teammates, opponents, coaches and the media an opportunity to weigh in on his milestone moment and what he means to the Indigenous lacrosse community.
Randy Staats: It was exciting to be on the floor when it happened. I actually grabbed the ball for him. It’s a remarkable milestone for anybody, and for him to be the first Indigenous player speaks volumes. After the game, our coach Mike Accursi, always gives us the game ball, so Cody got it that game. (GM) Curt Styres presented him with a beaded medallion with the Thunderbirds logo and 1,000 on it. It doesn’t happen very often, clearly, and it was awesome to be a part of.
Mike Accursi: We were aware it was coming up; going in, we knew he was four points off. I kept saying to Charlie Ragusa (our media guy on the bench), how many points does he have? I knew we were counting down and then he scored. It’s great that his 1,000th point was a goal, on Matt Vinc, a guy he started his career with in Rochester. I was immediately yelling at the guys to grab the ball. Most of the guys knew it was coming. It was a big moment for him, being the first Indigenous player to beat that mark, and I’m sure he won’t be the last.
Randy Staats: When you think of the Haudenosaunee and talk about Native players, I think he’s right up there in the conversation and has been for years and years now. It’s a testament to what he’s done as an athlete and a leader, and his on-floor play. He’s one of the best players in my eyes. He’s six years older than me but I’ve grown up with him in a sense. My first year of junior was his last so we got to spend that year together, and we’ve been on the Chiefs together and now Halifax, so we’ve played a lot of lacrosse together, and against each other. He is one of a kind and I couldn’t be more proud of him.
Warren Hill: It goes beyond just the points; it’s his longevity in the league and the impact that he brings to whatever team he plays for. This is a cool feather in his cap; to be the first Indigenous person to reach 1,000 points speaks to his competitiveness and his love for the game. Just like Lyle, like Randy, us guys that are a bit younger than him, he was one of the guys we looked up to especially when going the college lacrosse route. We were all in middle or high school watching him do things at Syracuse and it definitely opened up our horizons. Him setting the foundations for us Indigenous players to follow suit goes a long way. He means a lot to our community. He’s an inspiration here in the Six Nations, especially with what he’s done for lacrosse, but also the other things he’s done for the community, like visiting schools, doing lacrosse demonstrations, or speaking against bullying [or providing scholarships with the TeamEights Foundation or the Haudenosaunee Sports Development Group].
Lyle Thompson, Georgia Swarm (Onondaga Nation): Huge congrats to Jammer on this milestone. His accomplishments on the floor speak for themselves. He’s a champion, a leader and the most fierce competitor I know. I don’t think he knows the impact he has made on the next generation. He’s a trailblazer and an inspiration to us all.
Deacan Knott, Philadelphia Wings (Curve Lake First Nation): I’ve always looked up to Jammer. I remember watching him when I was a kid, and now being able to play against him is pretty insane and one of my all-time goals.
Justin Martin, Toronto Rock (Six Nations of the Grand River): Cody was one of the first ones from Six Nations to go out and go to college and university. He’s been a role model for his community. Him being from Six Nations and seeing him accomplish 1,000 points, he’s a great inspiration for all the young kids here, especially me. He was always around the rink and would help out and give us some words, let us ask any questions we wanted.
Mike Accursi, head coach of the Halifax Thunderbirds: Cody has obviously had a great career, but his value to the team goes far beyond his points. He’s a great leader in the locker room, keeps the guys together, says the right things at the right time. He’s almost another coach on the field that is motivating guys and directing them. He really is the heartbeat of our team and organization. He’s a good role model for young Indigenous players. He understands that you can do whatever you want if you put your mind to it and put the work in. Whether you’re on the reservation or off, it’s nice to have someone of Cody’s stature to look up to, to look at what he’s accomplished, having gone to Syracuse and played D1 lacrosse, won Minto Cups, Mann Cups and NLL Cups. It’s hard not to put him on a pedestal and say, “I’d like to be like Cody one day.”
Mike Hasen, who coached him as a rookie in Rochester: To see a bunch of that time firsthand was remarkable. He came in as a young kid, and leading up to that point, you heard a lot of stories about what he was going to be. I think he’s even surpassed that by being such a good player for a long time and an even better person and leader. His game has developed and come full circle. He’s still putting up the numbers, and he’s another coach out there… His mind is leaps and bounds ahead of everybody else. You think of John Tavares: he got older, but the game just slowed down for him and he was just as effective. Cody still gets the job done. His step is slower, but he includes his teammates. He makes them better every time he’s on the floor. It’s a tough task to stop not only him but anyone around him.
Maki Jenner, Halifax Thunderbirds: Cody is a truly remarkable individual. His leadership is evident in the way the younger players on our team listen to every word he says. When he speaks, everyone is listening. Over the past few years, I’ve gotten to witness his talent on the floor, but his impact extends far beyond the game. This past December he was coaching one of our youth teams. The knowledge and passion he shared with these young players left a lasting impression on them, inspiring them to improve both as players and as teammates. This milestone is undoubtedly a significant achievement in his career, but his unwavering dedication to the game as an ambassador makes it even more special.
Craig Rybczynski, Rochester Knighthawks: Cody Jamieson [is having] a Hall of Fame career and reaching 1,000 points is just another part of his legacy. I am sure being the first Indigenous player to hit that mark makes it a little more special for Cody. “Jammer” is one of the most decorated lacrosse players ever. He has won NLL regular season and Finals MVP awards, represented his nation at World Championships, and hit numerous milestones. What makes him one of the best players I have ever been around, however, is that he has always been focused on his teammates and team’s success. His leadership has been evident since his days with the Six Nations Arrows. He has since won at every level and was part of the historic NLL three-peat from 2012-14 in Rochester. Off the floor, Cody has always made giving back and honoring the Creator’s game a big part of his life. He has handed out thousands of sticks, given countless lessons and grown the sport of lacrosse to numerous people and communities. Cody has established himself as a true winner not only in lacrosse but in life.
Stephen Stamp, IL Indoor: I was super surprised to see that he was the first Indigenous player. I just assumed, given the role of Indigenous players in the NLL, that somebody would have done it. There have been so many great players. But then you look at the career leaders, and getting to 1,000 points isn’t that common. There’s something about him. I’ve always figured that he is the one guy, that if you just absolutely have to have a goal, give him the ball because he will make something happen. There’s almost that sense of inevitability with him. He can hit any corner and you can’t tell where he’s shooting. It’s fascinating to watch him play. His game evolved early. A lot of players gradually add things to their careers to adjust to how people adjust to them and iron out wrinkles. He’d already worked out those wrinkles as a rookie. He’s a smart player and played like a veteran when he was a rookie.
(Trevor MacMillan/Halifax Thunderbirds)
“I’ve always thought that I’m just the next guy, and there’s guys after me. Randy’s doing an awesome job, and there are guys coming up after him, but I had guys before me as well, so I wouldn’t necessarily say I led the path or I created the path; I just kind of fell in line and tried to take it to the next level. Adding my stone to the pathway, if you will. I’m just hoping to carry the torch as long as I can and then pass it off, hoping the generations coming up behind us take it even further than we did.”
Halifax has a chance to host a quarterfinal playoff game at stake as they take on Toronto tomorrow at 7pm ET. Watch on TSN or stream on ESPN+, NLL+, & TSN+.
