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Good morning. Here’s the latest from around the lacrosse world:

1. The International Olympic Committee on Friday granted provisional recognition to the Federation of International Lacrosse, a major breakthrough for lacrosse in its quest to return to the Olympics. “I can’t think of a more significant milestone in the sport’s history,” said Steve Stenersen, president and CEO of US Lacrosse and vice president of the FIL.

There’s still work to be done, including the creation of a new small-sided discipline of lacrosse that would help its cause as a team sport — considering the IOC’s cap on the number of athletes that can participate in the Summer Games — and addressing the competitive imbalance at the international level. The status of the Iroquois Nationals also could come into question.

In the meantime, the IOC’s provisional recognition of the FIL qualifies the international federation for IOC funding and will help national governing bodies unlock resources from their country’s respective Olympic committees and sports ministries.

Social media buzzed with excitement and conjecture.

2. The US Lacrosse West Regional Conference brought 300 coaches, officials and program leaders to Las Vegas for a weekend of education and networking. The event also included a Level 1 and Level 2 Coach Development Program clinics.

3. NLL training camps opened over the weekend, one week after the league and the PLPA struck a deal on a new collective bargaining agreement. There was plenty of hype and lots of laughs as the players returned to the floor. The season, with a revamped schedule accommodating all eight games that were canceled due to the labor dispute, starts Dec. 15.

 

WHAT WE’RE READING

  • The post-collegiate lacrosse scene in Northern California is fertile ground for new coaches, officials and volunteers.

  • Lacrosse isn’t the only sport celebrating its IOC recognition. Sambo, a Russian martial art and combat sport, and kickboxing also made it to the table.

  • A Goucher men’s lacrosse player has been arrested after allegedly vandalizing a dorm with racist graffiti.

  • NLL commissioner Nick Sakiewicz, buoyed by the prospect of labor peace for at least the next five years, doubled down on his talk of one day being at the helm of a 30-team league.

  • New Vancouver Warriors general manager Dan Richardson made a bold move in cutting Rhys Duch, the former Stealth franchise’s all-time leading scorer.

WHAT WE’RE WATCHING

Kyle Harrison opines on black lacrosse players being labeled raw and typecast as defensive midfielders.

With news of the death of George H.W. Bush, the nation’s 41st president, Lax Sports Network’s Travis Elridge tracked down this video Syracuse’s 1990 NCAA championship team visiting the White House.

Vancouver Canucks defenseman Troy Stecher dusted off his lacrosse stick and box skills during a Canucks skills competition.

WHAT’S ON TAP

  • A deeper dive inside the December edition of US Lacrosse Magazine, which dropped last week.

  • Subscribe today to our weekly email newsletter and stay connected to each week’s top lacrosse stories. The newsletter goes out every Thursday.

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