McGill lacrosse team to resume play for 2022-23 season

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McGill informed members of his lacrosse team in an email Thursday that they will be able to resume play for the 2022-23 college sports season.

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Lacrosse was one of nine sports McGill decided to cancel this season, while nine other sports were able to resume play.

Geoffrey Phillips, McGill’s executive director of athletics and recreation, told the Montreal Gazette in an email this month that the decision to cancel certain sports was made due to safety concerns due to COVID-19 and the increased level of care required for medical and general operations. of the teams. All college sports in Quebec were canceled last year due to the pandemic.

McGill’s lacrosse team, which had five indigenous players on the roster in 2019, won two national championships, in 2012 and 2015. The 2021 CUFLA season began on September 18 with McGill as the only one of 14 teams in the league. league that does not participate. this year.

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“I find it a bit ironic because McGill goes to such a lengthy position to say that they want indigenous students, they want a large indigenous population,” McGill player Isaiah Cree told the Montreal Gazette after the school canceled lacrosse this year. “But they cancel their most indigenous athletic team and probably McGill’s most diverse team. All the world at First Peoples’ House (where Cree lives on campus with other indigenous students) he’s quite upset with his decision. “

Phillips sent an email to all members of the lacrosse team Thursday that said, “An encouraging and informative meeting was recently held between the McGill leadership and the members of the lacrosse team. The opportunity to hear directly from the players, provide insight into the decision-making process, and confirm McGill’s long-term commitment to lacrosse was an important step forward.

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“Many important topics were discussed at this meeting, including mentoring and the Academic Financial Awards (AFA),” added Phillips. “We would like to confirm that even if they do not compete this year, lacrosse players can still receive up to 12 hours of free tutoring per academic year by contacting the varsity office. Additionally, AFAs affiliated with the program continue to be awarded to eligible student-athletes who meet the criteria. “

The email added that McGill lacrosse coach Nic Soubry can now work directly with the varsity office on the resumption plan, initially focusing on recruiting with the intention of running some team activities for the spring.

Cree and McGill team captain Oliver Bolsterli responded to the email and wrote: “Our entire ‘lacrosse family’ of current student-athletes, more than 1,000 alumni, volunteer coaches, managers, families, friends and donors, They appreciate that he has reversed his decision, and that McGill is committed to re-establishing lacrosse as a collegiate sport by 2022-23.

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“However, we are dismayed and disappointed by McGill’s complete lack of recognition of the important issues raised at our September 24 meeting related to the cultural, spiritual and historical importance of lacrosse to indigenous communities. How can McGill honestly issue a press release today on Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Day that discusses McGill lacrosse, but doesn’t even mention the cultural significance of the game? How come McGill Athletics doesn’t mention this in an email to our entire team today of every day? “

In a press release Thursday, Phillips stated that McGill’s goal is for all teams that played in the 2019-20 season to return to competition in 2022-23, barring any unforeseen additional public health restrictions.

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“While players who will not graduate in 2022 will be excited to once again have the opportunity to play lacrosse, this entire ordeal is much more than the game of lacrosse,” Cree and Bolsterli wrote in their email response. “It is about our shared role in reconciliation. We are committed to it, but the silence of the McGill leaders on this broader issue overshadows any decision to rejoin the team and is utterly disgraceful. College leadership must lead the way forward, not address what is right on the part of its students.

McGill has missed an important opportunity to acknowledge his mistake and apologize. On this particular day, Canada’s first National Truth and Reconciliation Day, this not only seems insensitive, but shows a complete lack of understanding of McGill’s stated efforts to work for reconciliation and equity. “

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