Gait backs ousted national team managers
Gary Ga it say she stands with the other three men dismissed from Canada’s national lacrosse team management group.
Citing “irreconcilable differences”, the Canadian Lacrosse Association announced on Friday it was accepting the resignation of national team chairman Dean French, men’s director Dave Huntley and indoor director John Mouradian.
Left off their press release was Gait, who as women’s director led Canada to its first-ever gold medal at the 2015 world U 19 field lacrosse championship and the senior team to its first silver medal at the 2017 world championships.
Gait was told by the CLA he wasn’t included because his term expired at the end of this year’s worlds. That was news to Gait and the management group as the CLA’s national teams policy and guidelines, on a page six chart, does not indicate the women’s director expiring in 2017.
While the other three were told by phone their services were no longer required, Gait was told he could re-apply for his position.
Gait said as fara she’ s concerned he’s with the other three as he put his name to the same letter that demanded the C LA work to re gain its Registered Canadian Amateur Athletic Association status and improve insurance coverage for national team players or else they’ d resign on March 31.
“I’m backing our group and I’m supporting them,” Gait said. “If we could get things resolved and they’ d come back to the table then maybe we could all re-apply and step back into our roles. I think we have a long way to go to get there.
“We’ve offered to sit down and talk about how to move forward and how to work better with the CLA but all we had was this existing agreement. We’ve been offering to sit down and work through it and try to improve it and we haven’ t been invited to the table. As a coach, a business person, I’d think you’d want all the people that are involved in our current programs to at least give you feedback and input.”
Gait said he’s unsure what the impact will be of their departure on the national teams.
“I don’t know where it’s going or what is going to happen. We’re just trying to help the players. We all played for the national team and have been a part of it. Under the direction of Dean French we made some incredible strides. We recognize that, the three directors, because we were involved with the team back before we had a program.”
Team Canada has won three gold and two silver medals at the past five world championships in the last four years. That’s the strongest showing by Canada in any quadrennial.
Frustrated by a lack of movement on the CLA board to rectify the loss its RCAAA status in 2010 and failed attempts to have the CLA look at improvements to player insurance coverage, the four men went public with their demands last month. They are not surprised, Gait said, the C LA chose to dismiss them but they are disappointed by the board’s refusal to engage in discussion.
“We found out what the board thinks of the national team directors efforts to try to develop a program that is athlete-centered and in the best interests of growing the game,” said Gait, who some argue may be the best lacrosse player of all-time. “We got their response.”
In recent weeks, national team players announced the formation of the National Lacrosse Team Players Association( N LT PA ). Ga it says their dismissal doesn’t mean they’re done helping the players.
“We’re going to continue to support players and go down that road,” he said. “The players have formed a players association and we’ll support the growth of that and take it from there.”