Future uncertain for project aimed at promoting lacrosse in the North

The future of a program that aims to promote lacrosse in the North is uncertain, as its funding has run out.

The Canadian Lacrosse Foundation’s N60 program was designed to bring Canada’s official summer sport into more northern communities. Since 2022, it has hosted clinics in Baker Lake, Nunavut, Norman Wells, N.W.T., and most recently at Ecole St. Joseph School in Yellowknife, last month.

Kyle Kugler, executive director of Hockey North in the N.W.T. and a committee member for the N60 project, said it was inspired by a lacrosse program run in Kugluktuk, Nunavut. That program also inspired a 2018 movie, The Grizzlies.

“So the N60 program was established to kind of reintroduce, or reach out, or expand lacrosse, north of 60,” Kugler said.

Jim Burke, chair of the N60 project committee, said it provides the needed equipment like helmets, gloves, sticks and t-shirts to communities, along with coaches to teach the history and basics of the game in a sports clinic. The goal is to build enough local interest in the sport that it continues after the visiting coaches have left.

“So the kids are able to experience the game and the physical benefits of it as well as the mental benefits … that was the intent of the program when we started,” Burke said.

Kugler sees lacrosse as a great off-season complement to hockey, as it has similar characteristics.

“There’s a tremendous opportunity for lacrosse here, especially with hockey players,” Kugler said. “We have a definitive [hockey] off season, [as] opposed to places in the south where they have it more year-round.”

The program has faced challenges over the years, including when the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

“We spent a lot of time meeting on it, but not doing much of anything because of the problems with travel,” Burke recalled.

Even after pandemic restrictions were liften, Burke said, there were the high costs of travel and shipping equipment. Finding people to keep the interest going in communities has also been a challenge, he said.

“It all revolves around finding that interested individual who’s prepared to run with the program after you leave, and we struggled with that.”

With the N60 program now up in the air, Kugler said nothing’s yet planned for 2026.

“[We are] trying to figure out next steps now that we’re going to have to kind of walk on our own a little bit,” he said.