The Onondaga Minor Association is proud to announce that with the combined efforts with of the Haudenosaunee communities of Allegany, Oneida, Newtown, Tonawanda, and Tuscarora that a new league has been formed for our youth. The new league for players aged 4-20 is named the North American Minor Lacrosse Association (NAMLA).
Since the Ontario’s Lacrosse Association’s decision to exclude teams south of the boarder of Canada, the members of NAMLA have worked feverously to create a new league. President Roger Hill (Tonawanda), Vice-President Emmett Printup (Tuscarora), Secretary Toni Old Shield (Allegany) and Treasurer Lorena Coulon (Onondaga) as well as other dedicated individuals were determined not to let our young players miss a season of lacrosse. Not only have all of these individuals created a regular season of lacrosse for all of the communities, they have created a playoff system as well.
The NAMLA is looking forward to an exciting kickoff to its inaugural season with two tournaments. A pre-season Peanut tournament (3-6 yr.olds) hosted by Newtown on May 15th. Next up, we look forward to second tournament hosted by Allegany on May 22, 2004.
NAMLA league play for Peanut, Tyke, Novice, Pee Wee, Bantam, Midget, and Intermediate teams begin the next weekend and will continue through the last weekend in July. Champions of each division will be crowned throughout August and lasting through the third week of August. Peanut through Bantam divisions will hold thier tournamnts the first two weekends while the Midget and Intermediate teams will crown their champion on the third weekend.