Lacrosse season never really ends for Indigenous players from the National Lacrosse League. Another day is another chance to pick up your stick and honour the Creator. Even if you’re not playing organized lacrosse, you’re likely still around the game in some capacity.
Enter summer ball. Lacrosse leagues in Canada and the United States run from May to September, with each team chasing glory. Generally, players in these leagues are predominantly playing for their hometown teams, making summer lacrosse a true family affair. With most Indigenous NLL players hailing from locations like Akwesasne, Six Nations and Onondaga, many choose to stay close to home in leagues in Ontario and Quebec. (insert map?)
Here’s where you can find your favorite Indigenous players this summer.
Sr. A is the highest level of lacrosse in Canadian summer ball. Teams compete for the Mann Cup, a seven-game series between the winners of the MSL (Ontario) and WLA (British Columbia).
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Also of note is Davin Bomberry, Brendan’s younger brother. He was a sophomore at Onondaga this season and has already made a splash with the Chiefs with seven goals in his first four games.
The Chiefs are owned by Halifax Thunderbirds owner Curt Styres. They play out of the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena in Ohsweken (which is located within the Six Nations of the Grand River, demographically the largest reserve in Canada), an arena that Styres built and maintains for the lacrosse community in the area. It’s a jewel in the summer ball scene with history mounted throughout the building, a top-tier snack bar, a full pro-shop, a gym and event space.
It’s part of the appeal for players like Lyle Thompson, who left the PLL because he wanted to spend more time with his family and summer box lacrosse gave him the chance to do that while staying involved in his community.
The Thunderbirds and Chiefs also share an equipment manager in Dave Sowden, whose homemade pickles have been legendary in powering the Chiefs to wins in the last few years.
Other players who could suit up for the Chiefs this season include Tehoka Nanticoke, Travis Longboat and Ron John, but they are currently undecided on whether to take the summer off.
The Chiefs have the highest number of Indigenous NLL players on their roster and are the crème of the crop when it comes to summer lacrosse. The team is always dominant, and they are the defending Mann Cup champions. They have eight national titles (1994-96, 2013-14, 2016, 2023-24) and have loaded up with talent to go for their ninth this September.
Despite the high number of Indigenous players on the roster, the Chiefs have not been afraid of bringing in the best talent regardless of affiliation. This is a roster than in addition to the players listed above also boasts NLL champions Dhane Smith, Josh Byrne (who left the PLL this season to play in the MSL), Ian MacKay and Steve Priolo, in addition to Shayne Jackson, Ryan Smith, Dawson Theede and Latrell Harris. It’s an all-star roster that could compete with the Bandits for the NLL title (though they’d have to fight over who got the players that overlap both rosters!). Winning is fun and the Chiefs want to continue their streak.
As of Tuesday, June 10, the Chiefs are tied for first place with a 5-1 record. Games go nearly every night in the MSL so that could change by tomorrow.
Watch Chiefs home games on Tuesday nights on YouTube.
Hoggarth had a breakout season with Halifax, and he’s continuing to show off his ridiculous goal-scoring ability with his hometown Lakers, 18-time Mann Cup champions. Already he has several highlight-reel markers that bring the crowd to their feet.
Philadelphia Wings backup goaltender Deacan Knott is also on the Lakers’ roster, though he’s currently behind Nick Rose and Drew Hutchison. Knott hails from Curve Lake, an Anishinaabe community 30 minutes outside of Peterborough. Knott is also the starting goaltender for the Sr. B Brooklin Merchants, so he keeps busy during the summer season.
The Lakers are tied for first place with the Chiefs, though they currently hold the tiebreaker after beating the Chiefs in their season opener.
Before it became known as Peterborough, the area was called Nogojiwanong, Ojibwa for “place at the end of rapids.” It is home to the Anishinaabe, a group of Indigenous people comprised of the Ojibwa, Odawa, Potawatami, Chippewa, Mississauga, Algonquin and Delaware. Trent University was the first Canadian university to introduce an Indigenous Studies department.
This summer, Challen Rogers is donning his coaching hat rather than a helmet. The Toronto Rock captain has stepped behind the bench to assist Matt Sawyer with shaping the next generation. The Rock got their first win last week, beating the Peterborough Lakers 9-7. They’re in sixth place (out of seven teams).
In August, Sr. B teams in Canada compete for the prestigious President’s Cup. It’s arguably a harder trophy to win, and very coveted, which is why you will often see many NLL players forgo playing at the higher Sr. A level for a crack at Sr. B superiority. There are many more Sr. B teams than Sr. A, meaning the competition to even get to the Prezzy is that much stiffer. Once there, it’s a round robin against six other teams for the right to play in the final.
Stats for Sr. B games aren’t always kept consistently, so keep watching the rosters to see where your favourite players might pop up!
The TNSLL currently has four teams, located in Ottawa and Kahnawake Mohawk Territory with two in Akwesasne Mohawk Territory. Akwesasne is such a lacrosse hotbed it can support both senior teams as well as a bevy of junior teams. Though only six Indigenous NLL players are in the TNSLL at the moment, the rosters are overwhelmed with local Indigenous talent, including some who have seen time in the pros like Vaughn Harris, Oran Horn, Teio McComber and Brier Jonathan.
Jeremy Thompson chose to leave the Six Nations Chiefs this summer (and his brother Lyle) for a chance to play with his other brothers, Hiana and Miles. The trio make Kahnawake a serious threat to take the TNSLL title from the Snake Island Muskies.
The Six Nations Chiefs roster is so stacked that some of their players get more floor time by also suiting up for the Sr. B Rivermen, who last year represented the OSL at the President’s Cup. There are also several former NLL players on the roster like Tyson Bomberry and Brooker Muir.
The Can-Am league features four teams in New York (Allegany, Newtown, Onondaga and Tonawanda), with Grand River playing in Ohsweken and sharing the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena. Can-Am rosters are a work in progress. Currently, we know that Gowah Abrams is suiting up for the defending Can-Am champion Allegany Arrows.
Neither Eli McLaughlin nor Zed Williams are playing lacrosse this summer. McLaughlin, who left the Colorado Mammoth midseason, has taken time off to focus on beginning his firefighting career. He played last summer for the Six Nations Chiefs, winning the Mann Cup. He is also based in BC where his Western Lacrosse Association rights belong to the Burnaby Lakers, though he hasn’t played in the WLA since 2018. Williams injured his Achilles’ during the Mammoth’s regular season and underwent surgery to repair it. Should he recover in time, he may be able to suit up for the end of the PLL season for the Philadelphia Waterdogs.
Angus Goodleaf and Kason Tarbell are taking the summer off for personal reasons.
