Outstanding in every aspect of the game; he knew the game, and he had all the skills; he had offensive talents and defensive abilities. He was a committed athlete, dedicated to the game and his teammates, and respected the game, the rules, the officials, and his opponents. He respected his teammates and consistently came prepared with effective strategies and clear explanations to support his team. In 1970, at the age of 19, he won the Tom Longboat award, given annually to Indigenous athletes who have made significant contributions to the betterment of sports and recreation in Canada. Louis got his first taste of coaching in 1969, at the age of 18, when he was playing for the Caughnawaga Senior Indians. Louis agreed to run the practice and training sessions and to establish game plans and strategies. However, he did not want to disrespect his coach and did not register as a coach during the team’s games. The team went on to win the league championship and playoffs! It was his first step into coaching lacrosse. It has stayed with him since. In the late 60s and early 70s, Louis was a leader in the creation of the Caughnawaga Minor Lacrosse Association and the building and establishment of the “outdoor box”. Following the creation, his position was to recruit, train, and develop coaches to ensure that the game was played correctly and that each team had a trained coach. In 1976, Louis entered the Caughnawaga juvenile team in the successful Quebec Juvenile Lacrosse League. In 1976, Caughnawaga also entered a Junior team in the QJLL and a Senior team in the QSLL. Coaches were trained under the direction and supervision of Louis Delisle. Apart from his coaching duties and teaching challenges, Louis was tasked with administering the three travelling teams (Juvenile, Junior, and Senior) across Quebec and in Eastern Ontario. As a mentor, Tewenhni’tatshon Louis Delisle created a theory and teaching tool. As a builder, he has shared it with everyone and trusts that it will assist all those concerned with progress through peace. He continues to lead, teach and work on a project to develop the game and the skills of lacrosse players.
