The Indigenous Lacrosse Alliance (ILA) works alongside Indigenous peoples and organizations to revitalize lacrosse in tribal and urban Indian communities.

Developed in 2022 as an outgrowth of a strategic planning committee of Native community leaders, coaches, and players convened to answer one question: How can we help create sustainable lacrosse programs within every Native community in the region in the next 3-5 years?

Our Mission is to expand access and opportunity for Indigenous communities to play lacrosse and improve the health and well-being of Indigenous youth.

Our Vision is for all Indigenous youth to have access to the traditional and modern sports of lacrosse and empower them to build healthy Indigenous communities.

Our Commitments:  

• Put Indigenous youth first and prioritize their needs.
• Honor and respect the community as the best decision-makers for their youth.
• Recognize and respect that leaders come in many forms and leadership in many styles. 
• Adapt to best meet the diverse needs of communities and their youth.
• Grow through partnership, reflection, and accountability. 

We believe that all Indigenous people deserve the opportunity to experience traditional sports, including lacrosse. We act on this belief by working to grow resources, provide technical assistance and organization, and advocate for increased support nationally.

We also believe that Indigenous youth do best when engaged in activities centered on holistic well-being and rooted in their cultures. With a focus on accessibility, engagement, and connection, we strive to provide these opportunities, with our partners, to as many youths as possible in our region. 

Guided by our Athlete Development (ADM) and Community Development (CDM) models, we have embarked on two major programs in 2023:

Lax-4-Life Summer Camp

Hosted on the Fond du Lac reservation and Brookston Community Center, Lax-4-Life brings together over 50 Indigenous youth from across the Upper Midwest to learn lacrosse skills as well as engage in topics including nutrition, suicide prevention, and mindfulness. In 2023, we plan to hold two camps across grades 6-10. 

Click here to learn more. 

Program Development

We work to support tribal and urban Indian communities to develop local youth lacrosse associations and activities. We partner to support this work in several ways:

• In-School PE Program/TryLax Clinics
• Day Camps/Clinics
• Coaching/Referee Training
• Coaching Mentorship Program
• Equipment Exchange and Donation
• Fiscal Support for Administrative Fees (i.e., registration, additional training, etc.)

Click here to learn more. 

Click here to learn more about our staff and board. 

There are a number of ways to get involved with Indigenous Initiatives. For the most up-to-date opportunities, we encourage you to register for our newsletter here.

We're hiring! Interested in learning more about our career opportunities? Click here.

Homegrown Lacrosse Connecting Native Youth With Culture and Community

We are thrilled to be spotlighted by Beyond Sports for our work in Indigenous communities in the Twin Cities. Through initiatives like our Lax-4-Life Summer Camp, we aim to blend traditional culture and holistic well-being with the enriching experience of lacrosse. As we move forward in our five-year strategic plan, our focus remains steadfast on building a sustainable framework to reach and empower more Indigenous youth.