TABLE OF CONTENTS Board of Directors 2 Staff Directory & Organizational Headquarters 3 Vision, Mission, Core Values 4 Letter from the President 5 International Outreach - SportAccord 2019 6 Our Olympic Vision 7 Membership 8 Organizational Growth and Capabilities 10 Field of Play 12 Athlete Voice 13 Officiating 13 Launch of New Brand 14 Expanding Opportunities in Sport 18 Global Membership Growth 19 Building a Sustainable Financial Model 20 The World Lacrosse 2018-19 Annual Report was designed by Old Hat.: www.oldhatcreative.com Zac Logsdon, Founder/CEO The World Lacrosse brand identity system was designed by Adrenalin: www.goadrenalin.com Dan Price, Founder/Principal 2018-19 Annual Report 1 BOARD of DIRECTORS SUE REDFERN STEVE STENERSEN RON BALLS FIONA CLARK President, England Vice President, USA Secretary General, England Competition Director, Australia DON BLACKLOCK BOB DEMARCO TOM HAYES HOWARD BORKAN Technical Director, England Development Director, USA Olympic Vision Director, USA Legal Counsel, USA DAVID RYAN PETER GUBER SEAN GIBSON 2 Independent Director, USA Independent Director, USA Chair, Athletes Advisory Commission, Norway ORGANIZATIONAL HEADQUARTERS WORLD LACROSSE MANAGEMENT JIM SCHERR Chief Executive Officer DARRYL SEIBEL Chief Brand and Communications Officer TJ BUCHANAN Director of Sport Development AIMEE DIXON Director of Philanthropy KIM BARTKOWSKI Executive Administrative Assistant In March 2019, World Lacrosse established its new organizational headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA — a city often referred to as Olympic City USA. Colorado Springs is home to WORLD LACROSSE ADVISORS more than 50 national and international sport organizations, including the United States Olympic Committee and the United ANDREW CRAIG States Anti-Doping Agency. International Relations MARKUS KECHT The World Lacrosse Chief Executive Officer and other staff International Relations members work from the organizational headquarters. STEVE ROUSH Governance and Sport Development Address: World Lacrosse 1295 Kelly Johnson Boulevard, Suite 260 Colorado Springs, Colorado 80920 USA +1 719 374 5546 worldlacrosse.sport 2018-19 Annual Report 3 VISION, MISSION & CORE VALUES THE VISION, MISSION & CORE VALUES FOR WORLD LACROSSE, AS ADOPTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN 2018, ARE: WORLD LACROSSE VISION Lacrosse is recognized and played by all countries worldwide and is an Olympic Sport. WORLD LACROSSE MISSION World Lacrosse will provide governance and integrity for all forms of lacrosse and will provide responsive and effective leadership to support the sport’s development throughout the world. WORLD LACROSSE CORE VALUES World Lacrosse Core Values are the unwavering principles that we never sacrifice. They guide us in all our interactions and reflect our culture and priorities. We strive to make these evident every day in how we work and interact with our audience. TEAMWORK INTEGRITY We believe in the importance of working together and We are open, honest, ethical and fair. People trust us to achieving shared goals. adhere to our word. PASSION FRIENDSHIP We use our drive and commitment to energize, engage and We trust and support each other. Friendship brings inspire others. camaraderie and sportsmanship to the game. RESPECT INCLUSIVENESS We have due regard for the feelings, wishes, rights and We value and include people with different ideas, traditions of others. strengths, interests and cultural backgrounds. 4 LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT SUE REDFERN On behalf of the Board of Directors and Management of • strengthened relationships with leaders at the In reflecting upon the past year, I have vivid World Lacrosse, it is my pleasure to present you with highest levels of international sport and expanded memories of the youth lacrosse players our Annual Report for 2018-19. their awareness and understanding of lacrosse; we met in Australia who were chosen to • continued improving our organizational participate in the GAISF SportAccord Gold This compilation of major achievements and areas of capabilities, with a specific focus on increasing Coast Youth Sports Festival in May. These focus for our organization is the first such Annual Report service and support to our National Governing young people were honored to have ever produced by World Lacrosse. Indeed, it is just one Bodies and Continental Federations while been selected to showcase our sport of many “firsts” for our international federation during building greater awareness of lacrosse; and the new 6 vs. 6 discipline before an the past 12 months. • made certain the voice and perspective of international, multi-sport audience; they athletes is at the heart of every major decision were exceptionally proud to be identified 2018-19 has been a year of profound change and our organization makes through the introduction as lacrosse players; and, they were progress for our organization, and any look back at the of an Athletes Commission; inspired by the dream — the possibility preceding year must begin with a heartfelt thank you • achieved a milestone that required years of — of one day representing our sport to our Membership, Board of Directors and lacrosse vision and commitment from so many in our and their country in the Olympic enthusiasts around the globe. One year ago, when our international federation by securing Provisional Games. Membership approved an ambitious Strategic Plan that Recognition from the International Olympic called for an accelerated pace of growth and change, it Committee; For all you have done during this did so with the understanding that change, at times, can • and, through the leadership of our Blue Skies past year — and beyond — to help be uncomfortable. Equally, our Membership understood Working Group, begun experimenting with new nurture this dream, and for all you the unique moment in time at which our sport, and our disciplines, formats and other innovations that will do in the future to support the international federation, finds itself — and the need will position our sport for continued growth well continued growth of our great to make the most of this unprecedented window of into the 21st Century. game, please accept my sincere opportunity. thanks. While these accomplishments, and many others cited In the past year alone, our international federation has: in our Annual Report, are significant, they are not the Sincerely, • introduced a new name and brand identity, culmination of our journey. Instead, they are both a reflective of our ambition to make certain young measure of significant progress made to-date and an people around the world have the opportunity indication of the vast potential and opportunity that is to experience the life-changing benefits of before us. Sue Redfern participation in lacrosse; President, World Lacrosse 2018-19 Annual Report 5 INTERNATIONAL OUTREACH - SPORTACCORD 2019 In order to build upon the momentum community on May 6. The announcement and introduction of generated by securing Provisional the new name and logo received high marks from the IOC, the Recognition from the International Olympic Global Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF), Committee, and to continue raising partners across international sport and the wider lacrosse awareness and understanding of lacrosse community. among the international sport community, World Lacrosse placed a greater emphasis It was particularly significant for the announcement to be made than ever before on its presence and in Australia, a country with a proud tradition of success in level of engagement at SportAccord in international men’s and women’s lacrosse and a two-time host of 2019. the Olympic Games (Sydney 2000 and Melbourne 1956). SportAccord is the largest annual In addition, for the first time ever, World Lacrosse hosted an gathering of leaders from across exposition stand as part of the sport expo. The expo provided international sport, attracting visitors with the opportunity to learn more about lacrosse and delegates from more than 100 experience the speed, skill and intensity of the game through international sport federations, the a cutting-edge virtual reality video presentation. Australia IOC, National Olympic Committees, National Team athletes Theodora Kwas and Sachiyo Yamada host cities for multisport events, generously volunteered their time to represent World Lacrosse broadcasters, corporate partners at the exposition stand, along with President Sue Redfern and and media. In 2019, SportAccord Competition Director Fiona Clark. was held in the Gold Coast of Australia, site of the 2018 Finally, World Lacrosse and the sport of lacrosse were well- Commonwealth Games. represented in the Gold Coast Sports Festival, as two youth teams from Australia helped showcase the sport and provide With SportAccord as the instructional clinics to aspiring local players. The participation backdrop, World Lacrosse of the youth teams was coordinated by World Lacrosse introduced its new name, Development Director Bob DeMarco, Development Committee logo and brand framework Chair Rick Mercurio, and Mike Slattery and Damien Orr of the to the global sporting Australian Lacrosse Association. 6 OUR OLYMPIC VISION The Olympic Games represent the pinnacle of achievement Ron Balls, Secretary General and excellence in international sport, and on November Stan Cockerton, Immediate Past President 30, 2018, our international federation moved one step Bob DeMarco, Development Director closer to turning an Olympic dream into reality. Tom Hayes, Olympic Vision Director It is on this