Albany Coach Scott Marr urges a call to action at Standing Rock in letter to Lacrosse Community

University at Albany head coach Scott Marr released a letter to Inside Lacrosse urging for a call to action in support of the Dakota Access Pipeline protesters. Marr, along with Lyle Thompson and Bill O'Brien returned from a trip last week to North Dakota where they met with #NODAPL protesters and taught them the game of lacrosse.

Scott Marr (Photo Courtesy ualbanysports.com)

Dear Lacrosse Community,

As I walked today, I reflected on our game of lacrosse, worrying that the larger the game gets the further we get from the knowledge and understanding of its Native American origins. The game of lacrosse is a gift from the Creator of the Americans native to this country, which fortunately has been shared with us to play, coach and watch. Coaches I know across all levels, including myself, make attempts to translate this history, along with our profound respect for the game to our players, parents and fans. My recent trip to the Standing Rock Reservation in North Dakota with Onondaga natives, Lyle Thompson; his wife, Amanda; their three young daughters; and Bill O’Brien provided me with the unique experience of participating in the game as it was intended — as a medicine game, played for healing and peace — which I hope will improve my own translation. However, at this time just improving that translation is not enough. Action is needed.

As we move past Thanksgiving and prepare for our upcoming winter holidays and spring lacrosse seasons, these people are energetically preparing for winter, continuing to fight and possibly die for the basic rights of safety for their people and the sovereignty of their land and culture. I continue my own personal activism by appealing to each of you, as members of an ever growing lacrosse community to work to enlighten yourself to the plights of the Native American peoples, particularly those of the Standing Rock nation by reading information available in major newpapers, on standwithstandingrock.net, and Twitter (#NoDAPL, #Standingwith Standing Rock, #WaterIsLife). I am in hopes that your enlightenment will result in your vocal support for the human rights of Native Americans and our environment, and that our lacrosse communities will band together in meaningful and hopefully, creative forms of action. An old Native American saying recognizes, “When the last tree has been cut down, the last fish caught, the last river poisoned, only then will we realize that one cannot eat money.”

I feel strongly that in order to continue to play, coach, ref and enjoy the game of lacrosse with respect for its origins we need a call to action. Use social media to get the message out to as many people as possible. Call your congressmen, or even call the White House (202) 456-1111 to leave a message in support of stopping the pipeline. Finally, I urge you all to visit the standwithstandingrock.net site and sign the petition to stop the pipeline permanently in a sign of lacrosse community solidarity. Our unified voices will make a difference.

Scott C. Marr 
Head Men’s Lacrosse Coach 
University at Albany

From left, Bill O'Brien, Lyle Thompson, Scott Marr