For Cecil Jacobs, Lacrosse Is More Than A Sport – It’s A Lifestyle

Cecil Jacobs is one of the areas top lacrosse players. For Cecil, lacrosse is ingrained in his Indigenous heritage, and is a healing game.

Jacobs, an Ojibwe athlete from Walpole Island played last season for the Wallaceburg Red Devils, starring for the team in net. He hopes that when other young Indigenous athletes see him on the floor, and try lacrosse for themselves, they use the game to feel success.

“I hope for the next generation of Indigenous athletes to feel that they can achieve anything and to keep mastering their own success,” said Jacobs. “They should play lacrosse because it’s the fastest game on two feet and it’s good to try out new things.”

Jacobs competed at Nationals in 2017 representing Team Iroquois. He sees lacrosse as more than a sport. It’s his lifestyle, and a source of well being.

“Lacrosse is the medicine game and it causes healing, not only physically but mentally as well. The game of lacrosse to me is a lifestyle.”

Those are strong words for a sport woven tightly to Indigenous culture across North America.

Jacobs feels pride in playing lacrosse, and he’s also proud of his heritage.

“My heritage is everything to me from family and friends, to where I come from, everything is sacred and we should be thankful for everything we have in our lives.”