MEMBER NATIONS

Women’s Lacrosse was first established in Melbourne, Victoria, in 1936 with the formation of two teams Williamstown and YWCA/Melbourne University. Pioneer, Miss Nell Rawlins, was a former English Territorial player, who had represented the North West of England. The Victorian Women’s Lacrosse Association (VWLA), now known as Women’s Lacrosse Victoria, was formed in the same year, with Miss Rawlins as President, and Mrs Joy Parker (nee Newhouse) as Secretary. Matches were played on a Sunday, and this remains traditional today in most States. The men played, and still do play, on a Saturday, which allows the men and women to support each other. In 1939 the VWLA became affiliated with the All England Women’s Lacrosse Association, and the following year with the United States Women’s Lacrosse Association (USWLA). The first ‘international’ match was played at Melbourne University in 1938, against visiting American hockey players who also played lacrosse.

Unfortunately by late 1940 Australia was deeply involved in the Second World War, and lacrosse sticks were put aside. The sport did not reform until 1962. It was in this year that Mrs Shaw, an ex Welsh International, placed an advertisement in an Adelaide paper calling for women interested in playing lacrosse. The prospect of interstate competition was the impetus needed, and the South Australian Women’s Lacrosse Association (SAWLA) was formed, along with the Victorian Association re-forming. Following the first interstate match in August 1963 between SA and Victoria (in Adelaide), which saw Victoria take the honour as winners, the Australian Women’s Lacrosse Council (AWLC) was formed, now known as Women’s Lacrosse Australia (WLA). Joy Parker became the first President, and went on to become the first Patron and Life Member of both the VWLA and the AWLC.

Word drifted across the Nullabor to Western Australia and in 1965, the Western Australian Women’s Lacrosse Association (now known as Lacrosse West) was formed. In this year the first Senior Women’s National Championship was held. The AWLC gradually developed, and by 1975 the game had spread to the island state of Tasmania, where the Tasmania Amateur Lacrosse Association formed (now known as Lacrosse Tasmania). In 1995, New South Wales Lacrosse Inc became the most recent State to join WLA with lacrosse now also beginning in Queensland.

In 1969 the AWLC had arranged for touring teams from the UK and the USA to travel to Australia. These teams toured Victoria and South Australia playing Test Matches, then travelled on to Perth to play a mini “World Tri-Nations Series.” The British team won by one goal. The first outgoing tour made by an Australian team was in 1972, and matches were played in Great Britain, the United States and a demonstration match in Hong Kong.

Australia values the opportunity to tour, however in more recent years, has travelled less, due mainly to the value of the Australian dollar overseas. With the development of the Asian Pacific Rim, and the recently established Asia Pacific Lacrosse Union, it is hoped that the ‘Aussies’ will be able to make more regular visits to countries such as Japan, China and Hong Kong.

National Governing Body

A Board of seven Directors and a Council, comprising representation from the five member states currently govern WLA. WLA and Lacrosse Australia are currently in the initial phases of unification. This will eventually see Australia come into line with every other lacrosse-playing nation having one National Governing Body.

National Competitions

There are 4 National competitions, played on an annual basis, and rotating from State to State. The divisions are Seniors, U21, U17, and U15 respectively. South Australia has dominated the Senior level, winning a total of 22 titles and 18 of the last 20 (1985 – 2004). Since the establishment of a national under age competition in 1970 (U16) and U19 in 1982, South Australia has shown why their Senior teams have been so strong, having been crowned National Champions more than any other State. The U15 national competition was established in 2003 and to date, Victoria has remained undefeated.

Australia welcomes overseas teams to participate in their National Championships, particularly at a Senior level, and looks forward to the ongoing inclusion of Australia’s closest lacrosse-playing nation, New Zealand, in these events.

Domestic competitions

Lacrosse in Australia is not always included in a school curriculum, however when it is, the non contact (modified) version is the preferred option. Women’s lacrosse is primarily club based, with only a few University based Clubs. The large majority of clubs are metropolitan and community based, with approximately 45 Clubs located in the capital cities of Sydney (New South Wales) Brisbane (Queensland), Adelaide (South Australia), Hobart (Tasmania), Melbourne (Victoria), and Perth Western Australia.

Within domestic competition, players can begin from as young as 6. The age divisions most commonly played are U11, U13, U15, U17 and Seniors (several grades). Junior are eligible to play seniors, and it is quite common for U17 players to play in a senior grade as well as in their own age group.

Player’s life-spans are significant – it is not unusual for women to play well into their 40’s, and - even into their 50’s! It is also not unusual for umpires, coaches and administrators to also be current players.

International Competition

Per capita, Australia could well be considered the most successful female playing lacrosse country. Having competed in all six IFWLA World Cups, and 3 IFWLA U19 World Championships, Australia has medalled in every event. The only country to have taken gold from the USA, Australia has claimed the title of World Champions three times (World Cup 1986 and 2005, and U19’s in 1995). Australia has also won 6 silver medals (1982, 1989, 1997, 2001 for Senior and 1999 and 2003 for U19) and 1 bronze medal (1993 Senior).

Perth, Western Australia has been the site of two World events ~ the 3^rd IFWLA World Cup in 1989, and the 2^nd IFWLA U19 World Championship in 1999.

Whilst Australia might have a relatively small player base - just over 1300 registered girls and women, we are nonetheless mighty, as evidenced by our continued success on the International stage.

Australia welcomes anyone to come and travel our vast countryside, and play some lacrosse along the way. We are very much like one large family – just spread over a few thousand kilometres.

CANADA

The first games of Lacrosse were played in Canada between the townsfolk of Montreal and the Natives in the 1840’s. Although it was many years before any significant wins were logged against the Natives, the game quickly won the loyalty and interest of the newest North Americans. By the late 1850’s and early 1860’s non-Native Lacrosse clubs were being formed. In 1867, Dr George W. Beers of Montreal created North America’s first national sport governing body.

The Olympics of 1904 and 1908 saw Lacrosse chosen as part of the program. The sport, so much a part of the community life, provided one of Canada’s gold medals in 1904 in St. Louis, MO – the first Olympics to which Canada sent an official delegation. Thought its career in the Olympics was short lived, Lacrosse still remains the only team sport in which Canada has won more gold medals then the rest of the world combined. In addition Canada hosted the 1994 Commonwealth games in Victoria, B.C. and Lacrosse was chosen as a demonstration sport.

Today the Canadian Lacrosse Association is made up of four distinct forms of lacrosse: Box Lacrosse, Men’s Field Lacrosse, Women’s Field Lacrosse and Intercrosse. These areas of lacrosse are active in 10 provinces and 1 territory.

Since 1982 Canada has participated in every world event, and has won 3 bronze medals to date. Canada has been very active in developing the grass roots level of the game and has competitive leagues at the U-15, U-19, Senior levels for club lacrosse, and sanctioned high school and university leagues.

Canada has also been very active in developing the technical areas of the game through their national coaching and umpiring certification programs.

CZECH REPUBLIC

Women’s lacrosse was introduced to the Czech Republic in the late 1980s. It has been fighting for its existence throughout first ten years. It began with four teams in Prague and was followed by teams that emerged here and there outside of Prague but which didn’t last long.

After the first ten years, the first fruits of development efforts started to be seen.

The Czech Women’s Lacrosse Association [CWLA] changed its structure in 2003 and established different committees with specific work aims. One of the most important has been Junior Committee, which focuses on development.

The CWLA has also started to cooperate with The Men’s Lacrosse and The Intercrosse Associations and has merged in Czech Lacrosse Union, which has become a member of a CSTV , a National sporting organization.

During that period, CWLA has increased its membership-base up to 135 members, has set up a Junior League and has been supporting and organizing tournaments in which non-CWLA teams take part. There are currently seven CWLA teams and three non-CWLA teams, i.e.: ten women’s lacrosse teams in the Czech Republic at the moment.

Since 1998, the Prague Cup, an international tournament has been held annually in Prague. Teams from around the world [England, Japan, USA] take part in this exciting tournament. The CWLA has participated in organizing the tournament over last two years and suggested that a Junior Division is organized. This dream came true in 2004, when two Czech Junior Teams and two English Teams competed in the “Prague Teen Cup” division. The Junior Division has been a success and will continue to be held in following years.

The Czech Women’s National team has existed since 1993 when it first participated in World Cup 1993 in Scotland [the Czech Republic came in eight place]. The team has not taken part in any World Cup since 1993 due to financial problems. It has taken part in all of the seven European Championships, ever held:

The CWLA continues its work and hopes to further increase its numbers. It believes it will be successful in spreading the game of lacrosse throughout the Czech Republic.

ENGLAND

The Lacrosse Association in England was founded in 1912, but long before that, in 1876, Lacrosse had been demonstrated in front of Queen Victoria by a visiting party of Canadians and Iroquois Indians.

International play began in 1912-13 with England playing Scotland and Wales, and these matches continue every season for the Brailsford Trophy.

1972 saw the founding of the IFWLA, the brainchild of one of the English game’s most esteemed players, Margaret Boyd, who became its first President.

Ten years later in 1982, the first World Cup was held at Nottingham between six international teams. In 2001 England again held the World Cup at High Wycombe.

In 1986, a three year Development Programme was begun under a National Development Officer and as part of the AEWLA 75^th Anniversary celebrations, the mini-game of pop lacrosse was officially launched. The Programme has now been extended to include a network of regional and local Development Officers taking both pop and field lacrosse to areas of the country which had not previously seen the game.

1996 saw the emergence of the English Lacrosse Association – the joint governing body for all lacrosse in England. By merging the two former governing bodies we were able to secure continuing funding from Sport England, which has enabled the club and school based development programme to grow from strength to strength into the 21^st century. Gaining and retaining grant has become increasingly competitive with an ever growing number of sports wanting a share of the funds.

Recently Lacrosse has been identified by Sport England as a Developmental Sport. The ELA has had its forward plan for the period 2005/09 accepted and this has lead to a significant increase in funding . The Governing Body is strengthening its staffing structure and there are now 9 full-time staff and a number of part-timers. For the 2005/06 season it is anticipated that around 80 professional coaches, mainly from the US, will work in the ELA Development Program, delivering lacrosse to more than 35,000 school children.

The ELA magazine, Lacrossetalk , has been recently upgraded and now has a circulation of 10,000.

England hosted the IFWLA World Cup in 2001 at Wycombe Abbey. England has won the silver medal in 1989 and the bronze medal in a number of World Cups, including most recently in 2005.

GERMANY

Lacrosse in Germany was introduced by two students from Munich and Berlin, who used to play the game in college on their exchange years in the US in 1989. In 1993 the first teams were founded. Until 1995 only men were playing Lacrosse in Germany, but then Women’s Lacrosse got started in different German regions. Friends and Exchange students were often the founders of new clubs. Germany got help from referees and players from the US and England by importing equipment and knowledge.

The first German Lacrosse Tournament was held in 1994 in Berlin, the Berlin Open.

In 1996 the German Lacrosse Association was founded, already 6 teams existed at this moment. Also in this year it happened that for the first time an international event was held in Germany, the European Cup in Neuss. It was a combined Women’s and Men’s tournament, where the Germans could afford to present their first National Women’s team.

In the coming years Lacrosse grew; Germany became a member of the IFWLA, participated on their first World Cup in 2001 and in 2003 Germany organised the European cup for the ladies again. Germany could send two full teams whereas 1996 the team consisted of nearly every German lacrosse-playing women.

Today the game is played in two leagues in 20 cities and universities. Austria and the Netherlands participate in one of the German Lacrosse Leagues.

Germany’s goals for the next years are to help connecting the European Lacrosse Community and to integrate a youth program.

In 1986, representatives from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, USA were invited to Japan to provide the first lacrosse training to students from Keio University and Tokyo Women’s College of Physical Education. The events in the ensuing years have led to the rapidly increasing participation in the game in Japan.

In June of 1986 the Japan Lacrosse Association (JLA) was founded. The first game was played in October of 1987 between Keio and an American businessman’s team.

The Student League was formed in April 1988 and has worked very closely with the JLA on various international activities.

The first annual International Lacrosse Friendship Games was held at Komazawa Olympic Stadium in June of 1989. In December of that year, Jackie Pitts and the IFWLA World Coaching Tour visited Japan to assist in the training of the women’s teams.

There are already over 10,000 players in Japan, primarily college age. The membership for women currently includes 280 universities, 40 club teams.

NEW ZEALAND

Lacrosse in New Zealand started in 2000 with the formation of a men's lacrosse league in Auckland. The New Zealand Women's Lacrosse Association was formed a year later in 2001 and established a women's league in Auckland.

Currently, we have six teams participating in the adult club league and about 250 regular players. In 2004, each clubs also established their own junior teams to participate in the Junior Club League.

From the very beginning, the NZWLA appointed Junior Development Officers to promote the sport in schools and we now have a very successful school league that runs between April and July and a one day schools tournament. The number of participating schools has grown from 4 to 20 in just four years.

We are in the process of launching the game in Christchurch and Dunedin and expect to have leagues up and running there by the end of 2005.

SCOTLAND

Lacrosse was introduced to Scotland in 1890 by the Headmistress of St. Leonard's School. The first inter-house matches at the school were played by teams of eight players each. By 1895, they had increased to 10 a side and when the first Scottish trials were held in 1913, there were 12 players on each team, playing a tournament against England and Wales.

The Scottish Lacrosse Association was formed in 1920, and by 1924, organized the first Clubs tournament. By 1931, there were eleven clubs/colleges, and five schools as members of the Association.

At present, there are eight clubs/universities playing field lacrosse and seven schools, although lacrosse is played in other non-affiliated schools and clubs. Pop lacrosse is spreading throughout the country and is now played in about 40 schools, with both regional and national championships taking place.

Men’s clubs have recently started and there are now four clubs/ universities playing in a men’s Anglo-Scots Lacrosse League.

Scotland has two international women’s teams – the A and B squads which are composed of players with Scottish nationality living both north and south of the border. There is also a Home-Scots team composed of those domiciled in Scotland. Scotland also field U21, U19 and Junior teams for international competition.

Scotland women’s best finish at the IFWLA World Cup was a bronze in 1986 in Philadelphia, PA. Scotland hosted the women’s World Cup in Edinburgh in 1993.

Scotland men have been competing in World Championships since 1994 and finished in 7^th place in each World Championship. They also competed in the inaugural World Indoor Championships in Canada.

Scotland women’s and men’s teams take part in the European Championships – the women’s best finish was 1^st in Prague 1998 and the men’s best finish was 3^rd in Dusseldorf in 1996, Manchester in 1999, Glasgow in 2000, Czech Republic in 2004. Scotland hosted the European Championships in 2000.

Scottish Universities send a team to the annual British Universities championships, finishing first in 2002 and as runners-up in 2004. Individual universities also compete in the Universities Championships.

Development of lacrosse in Scotland is a high priority and the association has a Development Officer who regularly visits schools and clubs to develop the game for everyone - pop, mixed, women, mixed, schools and clubs - at all levels.

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

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The United States Women’s Lacrosse Association was founded in 1931 and grew from its initial four associations to twenty-two associations functioning under six districts before merging into US Lacrosse in 1998. Since 1998, the Women’s Division of US Lacrosse has worked to grow the sport of women’s lacrosse and preserve the integrity of the game, while offering critical resources and support to tens of thousands of players, hundreds of coaches and officials and hundreds of thousands of enthusiasts across the United States. US Lacrosse Women’s Division also develops and maintains the rules of the women’s game, at all levels.

As the national governing body of men's and women's lacrosse in the United States, the organization was founded in 1998 as a result of the merger of eight national lacrosse organizations to create a unified national resource and maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of lacrosse promotion and development. The mission of US Lacrosse is to ensure a unified and responsive organization that develops and promotes the sport by providing services to its members and programs to inspire participation, while preserving the integrity of the game. We envision a future which offers people everywhere the opportunity to discover, learn, participate in, enjoy, and ultimately embrace the shared passion of the lacrosse experience.

The National Headquarters of US Lacrosse is located in Baltimore, MD featuring a three-story administrative center, the Lacrosse Museum and National Hall of Fame.

A staff of 38 is employed at the national office, in addition to part-time, volunteer, and intern assistance. A national board of directors determines policy, the officers of which meet monthly to monitor progress. Men's and women's divisions under the board address issues specific to the play of each version of the game; councils within and/or between each division represent each constituency of the game.

Membership: US Lacrosse membership consists of over 165,000 lacrosse players, coaches, officials and fans. Standard member benefits include:

· Subscription to Lacrosse Magazine

· Monthly email newsletter

· Comprehensive insurance

· Local Chapter membership

· Merchandise discounts

· Camp Discount Program

· Free Admission to the Lacrosse Museum

· Membership card and sticker

· Lacrosse Magazine (8 issues per year)

· Annual Report

· Women's Lacrosse Rule Book

· Chapter Manual

· Men's Collegiate Officials Directory

· Education and Training Manuals

· Men’s and Women’s Drill Manuals

· Parent’s Guide to the Sport of Lacrosse

· New Start Manual

· Event Programs

· BRIDGE Initiative (for underserved communities)

· Campaign for Excellence

· Coaches’ Education Program

· Camp Scholarship Program

· Fast Break Initiative

· Officials Training Program

· US National Team Programs

· National Team Clinic Program

· New Start Program with Loan Kit Option

· Positive Coaching Alliance Partnership

· Sports Science and Safety

· US Lacrosse Foundation Career Mentoring

Through it’s highly successful Women’s National Team Program, US Lacrosse brings together the best female players and coaches in the country to represent the US women’s game at its highest levels with the Developmental and Elite National Teams. US Lacrosse and the Women’s Division provide the National Team program with the resources they need in order to seek out the best players and coaches in the country, to train effectively and to compete successfully in the international arena. The Women’s National Team program serves as an effective community awareness and educational vehicle for women’s lacrosse as the women on the team provide examples of excellence and integrity in the game, and are role models for young women.

Events: US Lacrosse sponsors numerous events over the course of the year that appeals to players, coaches, officials and fans of the game. The list below highlights the major events held in each year including:

· National Hall of Fame Induction Celebration

· US Lacrosse National Convention

· National Teams Clinics

· Intercollegiate Associates National Champ.

· National Senior Showcase

· Women’s Division National Tournament

· National and Regional Youth Festivals

· 2005 IFWLA Women’s World Cup

· 2006 US Men’s Team Tryouts

The United States is committed to providing playing opportunities at all levels of competition and has been recognized in the last decade as an international power, having major successes in international competition.

The USA hosted the 1986 World Cup in Swarthmore, PA, the inaugural 1995 U19 World Championships and the 2003 U19 World Championships at Towson, MD and hosted the 2005 World Cup in Annapolis, MD.

WALES

Lacrosse was played in Wales in the later 1920’s by ten schools and a few clubs and colleges. After the second world war, the number of schools playing the game declined.

It is the advent of ‘pop’ lacrosse, play days, TV coverage and travel to other countries that have combined to increase the popularity of lacrosse in Wales. The game of ‘pop lacrosse’ has been taken into a school for the disabled, where a wheel-chair version of the game has been pioneered. A development officer for Wales has been arranged in conjunction with the English Lacrosse Association. Mixed lacrosse is played at all levels and is very popular.

International A, B, Under 21 and Under 19 teams compete at the International level.

Wales is looking to the future with the hope of promoting the game at the representative level through tours and by developing participation at grass roots.

Member Nations

AUSTRALIA

History

National Governing Body

National Competitions

Domestic competitions

International Competition

CANADA

CZECH REPUBLIC

ENGLAND

GERMANY

NEW ZEALAND

SCOTLAND

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

WALES