THINK LACROSSE / FAUT Y PENSER

b y Pierre Filion pierrefilion@bell.net The firing of Lacrosse Canada’s Executive Director a few days ago could be a great opportunity for change at the National Association. Not just a change in ‘’top staff’’ but mostly a change in attitude and in the nature of relationship with the Provincial Associations and the members. Many will tend to look at the causes of the firing and at the elements which have led the Board of Directors to fire its top man. Juicy details will come out and, obviously, distasteful rumors will fly around and distract many from what could be an opportunity for change. The ball is in the Board of Directors’ court. They have a unique opportunity to redirect Lacrosse Canada into the world of real democratic associations who place the members at the center of their concern. Here is a serious look at what th e Board of Directors c an do to reestablish the Association’s credibility which has been shattered by the top man’s firing. All the changes indica...

by Pierre Filion pierrefilion@bell.net Matt Shearer has been president at Lacrosse Canada since October 2025; that is six months ago. Two of his colleagues on the Board of Directors (Alan Preyra and Brad Cann) have recently left the Board; they had been elected at Lacrosse Canada’s AGM in late 2025. Alan Preyra, you’ll remember , was presented as ‘’an award-winning lawyer and legal scholar ’’ while Brad Cann was a financial services executive with more that 20 years of leadership experience’’. Heavyweights they were! They have both left a few days ago. Obviously, Lacrosse Canada’s website did not inform the members; neither of their departure nor of the reasons for their departure! Darkness prevails. On Friday February 27 th the provincial presidents (there are 11) were informed, through email, that the Executive Director, Terry Rayner, was no longer with Lacrosse Canada . In full transparency (!) the presidents were told that ‘’as this was a person nel matter further detai...

  by Pierre Filion pierrefilion@bell.net Last Friday (February 20 th ) Lacrosse Canada’s president (Matt Shear er ) informed the provincial presidents and provincial staffs that LC was transitioning the Executive Director role effective immediately. This indicates the beginning of a process to change leadership, to ensure the departure of the ED, to hire a successor , to train and motivate the new leader. It will also require that Lacrosse Canada reviews its planning and organizational strategies while also managing the staff’s stability and morale. Now, firing the Executive Director (the top man in the organization) ‘’effective immediately’’ is no small decision . It indicates many things, and the confidentiality surrounding the decision and the carry over, is indicative of serious reasons for terminating the Executive Director. The reasons for firing the Executive Director will eventually all come out in the open but, at this time , THINK LACROSSE is not very concerned , nor...