National lacrosse managers out
Trio part ways with Canadian Lacrosse Association after demanding association officials resign
The Canadian Lacrosse Association has removed Dean French, Dave Huntley and John Mouradian from its national teams management group, the C LA announced Friday night.
Citing irreconcilable differences, the CL Aboard stated it is accepting the resignation of the three men. On Oct. 22, the men, along with Gary Gait, sent a letter to the board stating they would resign by March 31, 2018 if the CLA did not act on three demands. Gait has been told by the board he can re-apply for his position as director of the women’ s national teams.
Under the four men, Canada had its most successful five-year period winning three gold and two silver at three world championships. The four men had demanded CLA president Joey Harris and director So hen Gill re sign in order forthe CLA to apply to regain its Registered Canadian Amateur Athletic Association (RCAAA) status revoked by the Canada Revenue Agency in 2010 for its involvement in a $60.7 million gifting program the CR A deemed an “abusive tax shelter.”
They also demanded improvements to insurance coverage for its national team players and for the C LA to not change the national teams’ policies and guidelines agreement.
Following a board meeting on Friday at their annual general meetings in Winnipeg, the CLA issued a press release praising the on-field accomplishments of the management group but stating their disagreements off the field were Irreconcilable.
“We have determined that to enhance lacrosse in our country we needed to create a model that better integrates our National Team Program with all other aspects of our sport,” stated Harris.
“We will take this as an opportu- nity to enhance the National Team Program, building off the elements that are already in place, to ensure that we meet our Sport Canada funding criteria and remain fiscal ly transparent and responsible to our members,” added Harris.
In a letter sent to the management group, the CLA states: “The CLA Board has considered your demands and determined that to fulfill your demands it would not be in the best interests of lacrosse in Canada.”
Speaking on behalf of the management group, Huntley said the CLA has never been fiscally transparent since most of its members had no idea the CLA had lost its RCAAA status.
Huntley said the CLA response illustrates the board’s incompetence.
“So restoring the charitable status, I guess the board doesn’t think is in the best interests of lacrosse. Clearly I disagree with that,” said Huntley .“Getting adequate insurance for players who represent our country, apparently, they don’t think is in the best interests of lacrosse. I guess we’re going to dis- agree on that.”
The policies and guidelines, Huntley said, were agreed upon in 2012 within put from all stakeholders including players and coaches. Now the CLA wants to make changes, he said, “to be written by staff and the board, none of whom have any experience with national teams, at all.”
Huntley says the national team success comes from its culture.
“Our culture is a we culture, not a meculture. It’s a team-first culture,” he said .“When I read this from the CLA board it screams ‘me’ to me. They’re a me group. Our values are just different.”
Huntley said lacrosse is in trouble with registration down in the tens of thousands.
“Our sport is in trouble,” he said, adding it starts at the top.
“This is like a banana republic governing,” he said.
Their removal from the management group, Huntley said, frees them to work closer with the newly formed National Lacrosse Team Players Association to insure change occurs.
“We’re not going anywhere,” Huntley said. “This only emboldens us to continue to fight the goo fight.”
Harris could not be reached for comment Friday night.