Lindsay Doxtator, of Oneida Nation of the Thames, has been seen on The University of Western Ontario campus with a lacrosse stick more often than not.
She’s used to the odd glances she gets walking around with her “best friend,” a stick dyed in Iroquois purple by pro lacrosse star Delby Powless.
The Western Mustangs varsity lacrosse player never imagined she’d be taking her stick and lacrosse gear across the world and representing a team comprised of the best aboriginal players from North America.
But Doxtator, 26, will be among the chosen few representing the Haudenosaunee, a team comprised of the very best women’s lacrosse players from Iroquois nations in North America.
This is the first time a team has been assembled at the senior women’s level for the Haudenosaunee, and the squad will compete this month at the 2009 Women’s Lacrosse World Cup in Prague, Czech Republic.
She is one of the first two Canadian-trained varsity women’s lacrosse players to play on the Haudenosaunee team. It’s a rarity – the Canadian and U.S. rosters don’t have Ontario University Athletics women’s lacrosse players representing them.
With two part-time jobs and full-time schooling, Doxtator has had to budget her time to make the long trips for tryouts. She has been playing field lacrosse for three years, perfecting her game through constant questioning and “playing a lot of wall-ball.”
Doxtator has been playing lacrosse for eight years which makes her journey to the world championships that much more special.
Without a team at Oneida, Doxtator had to develop at Western and in the competitive summer league playing out of Six Nations in Ohsweken, Ont., more than an hour away.
Originally, Doxtator came to Western without visions of even playing varsity lacrosse and joined the women’s hockey team.
By her second year, she was recruited by former Mustangs women’s lacrosse coach Craig Windley to play field lacrosse. She’s now a vital part of the Dave Hastings-coached Mustangs squad.
“She has all the tools of a great lacrosse player,” Hastings says.
Doxtator said she feels fortunate to have developed quickly, adapting her skills from exposure to women’s box lacrosse in Southwestern Ontario.
“I had very little exposure to field lacrosse, I learned the women’s game just coming to practice at Western.”
She’s continued to develop through training sessions with her new teammates with the Haudenosaunee squad.
John Sung, head coach of Haudenosaunee team and head coach at Adrian College, a Division 3 NCAA school in Michigan, says Doxtator’s attitude stands out.
“Lindsay’s determination to get better and will to be a part of this team was noticed,” says Sung. “At every training camp and tryout, she continually pushed herself.”
Doxtator is studying in the Faculty of Health Sciences and works at the exercise and pregnancy lab with Michelle Mottola (see a related story on Page 3) and as a peer mentor with the Canadian Association of Mental Health Centre for Prevention Science.
With lacrosse a part of First Nations culture and one of Canada’s national sports, Doxtator suspects she will look back at this trip and experience as a life-changing experience.
“Lacrosse is my top priority, neck and neck with school,” she says. “Going to compete, playing lacrosse, it feels like it’s a part of me. It’s a part of our heritage, a part of our culture. There’s a lot of pride here.”
To help support Doxtator on her trip, e-mailing ldoxtato@uwo.ca for more information.