AILA names 2026 Alfie Jacques Ambassador Award recipients

The American Indian Law Alliance has named Dom Starsia, Michael Kennedy and Mike Kanatakeron Mitchell as the 2026 recipients of the Alfie Jacques Ambassador Award. The honor will be presented Sept. 11 in Syracuse as the kickoff to the 11th Annual Haudenosaunee Wooden Stick Festival, with proceeds supporting a Native American youth scholarship.

Why it matters: - The Alfie Jacques Ambassador Award spotlights people who grow lacrosse while honoring its Haudenosaunee origins. - Proceeds from the Sept. 11 dinner fund the Alfie Jacques college scholarship for Native American youth. - The scholarship supports students who show sportsmanship, educational commitment, community service and citizenship.

What happened: - The American Indian Law Alliance announced the 2026 recipients: Dom Starsia, Michael Kennedy and Mike Kanatakeron Mitchell. - The award dinner is set for Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, at 5 p.m. at Bellevue Country Club, 1901 Glenwood Ave., Syracuse. - The dinner opens the 11th Annual Haudenosaunee Wooden Stick Festival weekend at Onondaga Lake. - Tickets and sponsorship information are available at the award site.

The details: - The award honors Alfie Jacques, the Onondaga stickmaker who made tens of thousands of wooden lacrosse sticks over more than five decades. - Jacques also spent his life teaching the world about the Haudenosaunee origins of the Creator's Game. - Past recipients include Sid Jamieson, Roy Simmons Jr. and Oren Lyons. - Each recipient will receive a soapstone sculpture carved by Ryan Sandy of Six Nations. - The weekend includes the Randy Hall Memorial Tournament, Smoke Dancing, traditional stick-making demonstrations and the Restore Our Sacred Lake 5K. - The public can register for the run at run registration. - More weekend information is available at festival details.

Between the lines: - AILA is using the award to connect modern lacrosse leadership with cultural stewardship and Indigenous history. - The honorees reflect three different forms of influence: elite coaching, international development and community-based cultural leadership. - Michael Kennedy's selection follows Ireland Lacrosse's 2022 decision to give up a World Games berth so the Haudenosaunee Nationals could compete. - The award continues a broader effort to frame lacrosse as a living Haudenosaunee tradition, not just a sport.

What's next: - AILA will present the award at the Syracuse dinner on Sept. 11. - The Haudenosaunee Wooden Stick Festival continues Sept. 12-13 at Onondaga Lake. - Festival activities will extend the tribute to Jacques through competition, demonstrations and community programming. - Donations and ticket sales will support the Native Vision-administered scholarship program.

The bottom line: - The 2026 award class links lacrosse excellence with cultural responsibility, and the weekend is designed to turn that recognition into scholarship support and public education.