The Creator's Game

Nedrow NY- It's the fastest growing sport in the country. Though typically associated with east coast private school culture, lacrosse still means as much to some native communities as it did centuries ago. To the Onondaga Nation, lacrosse is a game that transcends its own sport. It's a path to a better future, but more importantly it's a way of life.

"It's part of our religion," said Alf Jacques, the traditional wooden stick maker for the nation. "It's in our blood, it's all encompassing. It's part of everything about who we are."

The Onondagas believe that the Creator is a lacrosse player, and the game is played for his enjoyment.

"It's more than a game to us, it ain't just lacrosse, it's a medicine game," Jeremy Thompson said.

Lacrosse is still played as a medicine game today. The Onondaga men play a traditional game every year to heal the sick. They still use the traditional wooden sticks that Alf makes. Most men have a wooden stick from the time they are born and carry it throughout their entire life.

"When you die you're buried with your stick, you're in the casket with your stick, because you're gonna play lacrosse in the afterlife," Jacques said.

A Path to A Better Future

In the shadows of Syracuse lies a sovereign nation. On the Onondaga Nation there are no written laws, no police, no taxes. Instead the reservation is ridden with poverty, alcoholism and a lack of education.

"Most of the kids around here, all their parents grew up and they might just even graduate from high school and that's good enough for them," Jerome Thompson said. "They come back here and get a job on the res and that's good enough for them, it's easier. You don't have to pay taxes you don't have to do any of that, it's just easier, and their kids do the same thing."

Only a quarter of all Native Americans make it to college, according to a study on the status of Native Americans in Science and Engineering. But, for some lacrosse is a chance to break the detrimental cycle of life on the reservation.

Education is why four men are enshrined on the walls of the nation arena. Neal Powless, Travis Soloman, Gewas Schindler and Marshall Abrams are role models not because they played professional lacrosse but because they graduated from college.

"For me it's opened doors," Powless said.

Lacrosse is opening doors for the Thompson brothers who plan to play and study at Syracuse next year. Their father is an iron worker and didn't know about college when he was younger. Now he wants his boys to go.

"He wants us to go beyond what he did because all he did was graduate from high school, so he wants us to go on and use the game of lacrosse and get an education out of it," Jeremy said.

The Thompson brothers hope that their education at Syracuse helps get their pictures on the wall of the arena. No matter what they know they're getting an education and making their Creator happy by playing his game.