Kicknosway launches Anishinabek lacrosse corporation to teach skills, culture and history

By Sam Laskaris

OHSWEKEN – Isaiah Kicknosway had some big plans for 2020 after launching a non-profit lacrosse corporation this past December.

Because of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, however, the majority of those plans have now been cancelled or placed in limbo.

Kicknosway, a member of Bkejwanong Territory (Walpole Island First Nation) who started Anishinabe Baagaadowewin (Anishinabe Lacrosse), remains keen to resume preparing for what he believes can be a successful venture.

The goal is to provide clinics/camps in Anishinabek communities. The organization is also planning to have elite junior teams, both female and male, compete at various tournaments.

Since he launched his corporation at the end of last year, Kicknosway, who lives in the Six Nations community of Ohsweken, would have preferred it was in full swing by now.

But he said he believes it will now be at some point in October that Anishinabe Baagaadowewin will have a call for membership, seeking communities, organizations and individuals who are keen to be involved with clinics/camps.

More details are expected to be finalized at a board meeting later this month.

“It was pretty disheartening with everything that’s happened with COVID,” Kicknosway said. “I think the whole world is in a holding pattern right now.”

Kicknosway is hoping his sessions will travel to various Anishinabek communities throughout Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan. When it’s deemed safe and possible, he would also like to visit communities in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan.

Kicknosway also believes, however, that the pandemic might actually have been a small blessing in disguise for his organization.

That’s because even though Anishinabe Baagaadowewin had only recently just been launched this past February, the group was awarded an entry into the International Indoor Junior Lacrosse (IIJL) championships, which were scheduled to be held in Winnipeg this summer.

Due to various health and travel restrictions, this tournament was postponed until August of 2021.

“Looking back, it would have been pretty difficult going into the world championships with this timeline,” Kicknosway said. “We would have had only five months to prepare. It was a stressful time but now it’s good to have time and assess the direction we want to go and put a lot of time into it.”

Kicknosway’s group will be different than others who stage lacrosse camps or clinics in Indigenous communities.

That’s because instructors will also be teaching participants about Anishinabek culture and history.

Plus, they’ll be introducing them to the Anishinabek style of lacrosse, which includes using wooden sticks.

These sticks are about six inches smaller than modern sticks with metal shafts. But the pocket for the old wooden sticks is much smaller as well.

“That changes how you play because it’s a one-handed game,” Kicknosway said of the Anishinabek style of the sport. “The sticks are smaller and the pocket is smaller. Shielding or protecting the ball makes it a one-handed game.”

Many others do currently offer youth lacrosse sessions in Indigenous communities.

“It’s not the most efficient model,” he said of some of those operators. “Once you do a clinic and leave, there’s no continuation.”

Kicknosway is hoping to ensure Anishinabe Baagaadowewin will take a different approach.

“You have to deliver a clinic to an area and then support their sport development,” said Kicknosway, who works as a bookkeeper for a Six Nations business. “There should be repeated visits back and some form of communication.”

Kicknosway also believes a facilitator, who will be able to continue offering a lacrosse program, should be trained in each community to ensure the program lives on.

More information is available online.