Jamieson named governor of Six Nations lacrosse squad

Six Nations will continue to have a Junior A squad in the Ontario Lacrosse Association (OLA) after all.

And Cody Jamieson, one of the world’s top professional players, will be leading the franchise. He has been appointed as the team’s governor.

Late last month, the Six Nations Arrows, who have captured the OLA title nine times, announced the club would be leaving the circuit to join the newly created Tewaaraton Lacrosse League (TLL).

The move was met with some strong reaction, including from former Arrows players who were upset those in their community of Ohsweken would no longer have the opportunity to challenge for the Minto Cup, the national Junior A title.

The Arrows, who joined the OLA’s Junior A loop in 1990, captured five national championships, most recently in 2017.

Jeff Williamson, co-chair of the OLA’s Junior A league, said the provincial organization did not receive any official documentation from the Arrows brass indicating its desire to leave and join a new circuit. “Our board froze their membership,” Williamson said, adding this move was taken to provide some time to find new individuals to head up the Six Nations club.

Jamieson, a Mohawk and an Arrows alumnus who led his hometown team to the Minto Cup in 2007, was among those who had voiced his displeasure on Twitter when the franchise announced it was leaving the OLA to join a new league.

At the time, Jamieson, a member of the National Lacrosse League’s Halifax Thunderbirds, said he was disappointed he would not have the chance to coach an Arrows team to a Minto Cup crown.

Jamieson said he is not ready to immediately step behind the bench, but has accepted the governor position for the Six Nations team in the meantime.

“I’m only 33 years old and I don’t want to give up my playing career just yet,” he said. “You can’t coach a team while you’re still playing.”

Besides playing in the NLL, during the spring and summer months Jamieson also stars for his hometown Six Nations Chiefs, members of the Major Series Lacrosse (MSL).

So far, one other franchise, from Burlington, has joined the TLL.

The Burlington Chiefs will also remain in the OJALL.