Skill Testing Question: What is Canada’s National Sport?

What really is Canada’s national sport?  Some say that our national sport is hockey.  Ice hockey, that is.  Considering that almost 50% of players are from Canada, so naturally, it’s thought that ice hockey IS our national sport.

Wrong.

Lacrosse is actually Canada’s national sport.  Did you know that Vancouver has it’s own NLL (National Lacrosse League) team starting play on December 21st.  Our Vancouver Warriors will be taking on the Calgary Roughnecks at home.  The Warriors will play in Rogers Arena this season which is coincidentally the same building our NHL team, the Vancouver Canucks play their home games in.

A little history of our Warriors is that their logo has three major components that reflect the history of lacrosse.

  • The North Star: North of centre, shines the symbol of the North Star.  Offering guidance and direction for generations to come, this beacon of hope can be found each night, atop of Vancouver.
  • The Protector’s Shield: On guard stands the shield.  An unbreakable symbol of togetherness and community.
  • The Mark of Warriors: At its core, three forged stripes coloured gold and bone, form the defining V & W monogram.  Each line inspired by the storied traits embodied by our region’s traditional Warriors – Athleticsm.  Protection.  Strength.

Ever wonder how lacrosse compares to hockey?  Well, lacrosse has its origins in a tribal game played by eastern Woodlands Native Americans and by some Plains Indians tribes in what is now the United States of America and Canada. The game was extensively modified by European colonizers to North America to create its current collegiate and professional form. There were hundreds of native men playing a ball game with sticks. The game began with the ball being tossed into the air and the two sides rushing to catch it. Because of the large number of players involved, these games generally tended to involve a huge mob of players swarming the ball and slowly moving across the field. Passing the ball was thought of as a trick, and it was seen as cowardly to dodge an opponent.  Years later lacrosse is still a popular sport played all over the world.

So, who’s ready for some exciting NLL lacrosse action live in Vancouver?  Come one, come all.