Onondaga NLL player target of racist remarks made by arena announcer

By Kaniehtonkie

Lyle Thompson, Onondaga, doing what he loves to do and do extremely well, was playing lacrosse on Saturday night for the National Lacrosse League’s Georgia Swarm lax team when the Philadelphia Wings’ PA announcer made inappropriate, racist comments each time Thompson hit the floor.

According to Thompson, the in-house arena announcer Shawny Hill said repeatedly, “let’s clip the pony tail”. Prompting Thompson to tweet after the game, “I know Philly takes pride in their ruthless fans but I didn’t know it was like that lol.... now I know... just haven’t heard stuff like this since HS”.

Hill’s actions reached across the lacrosse world.

In 2018, U.S. Lacrosse created a Native American Advisory Council in order to seek better understanding of how their organization can best support lacrosse growth and sustainability efforts in Native communities and they issued their own statement on Sunday, January 13th, which read, “US Lacrosse strongly condemns the hurtful and unacceptable comments made by an announcer at the Philadelphia Wings game last night, as well as the inappropriate fan behavior that followed. Our sport traces its roots to the Native American community, and that legacy should be embraced and celebrated by everyone in our sport.

As the national governing body of lacrosse, US Lacrosse provides national leadership, structure, and resources to fuel the sport’s growth and enrich the experience of participants. The unfortunate incident last night highlights the need for further education about the roots of the game and stronger cultural competency. US Lacrosse is committed to fostering a deeper appreciation for the Native cultures and individuals who contribute so much to the sport.”

Andrew Lee, who sits on the board of directors for the Tewaaraton Foundation, was one of those individuals.

According to Lee, the council’s importance fits into the larger mission of US Lacrosse to reach new populations. Its role is two-fold - grow the game within native communities and spread the knowledge of its roots through educational resources.

In November 2018, Lee stated, “The minute you introduce stereotypical mascots or names that are based on ethnic or racial category, it’s problematic,” Lee said. “It really has no place in sport and in America. Lacrosse needs to take a hard look at this issue.”

Shawny Hill himself issued an apology stating he was ‘deeply sorry for the insensitive statements during last night’s game…’ offering a ‘sincere apology’ and admitting to his lack of knowledge on heritage and history. As of press time Hill was reaching out to the Thompson brothers to offer a direct apology.

The National Lacrosse issued their own short but terse statement on Sunday January 13, a day after the incident, “The League and all of our Member Clubs have a zero tolerance policy for any derogatory or discriminatory statements made. The statements made by the Wings’ in-arena host were inappropriate and the necessary disciplinary action will be taken swiftly.”

By the next day on Monday, January 14, Hill was relieved of his duties. The NLL announced via Twitter that the in-house arena announcer had been removed permanently from his role with the organization and suspended from all in-arena activities in the Wells Fargo Center.

On January 14th, the Philadelphia Wings statement read, “Shawny Hill has been permanently removed from his role with the Philadelphia Wings and has been suspended from all in-arena announcing assignments at the Wells Fargo Center. In addition, the Wings are working closely with the National Lacrosse League to implement ongoing diversity training for all employees which will include a focus on the Native American roots and traditions of the sport. The Wings remain deeply apologetic for the offensive comments that overshadowed Saturday night’s game and are fully committed to furthering a culture of respect”.

Georgia Swarm released their own powerful statement, “We stand behind all of our players, and in this particular instance, we stand in unity with Lyle, the entire Thompson family and all of our Native American players who were negatively impacted by the derogatory comment…

The Swarm is proud to have seven Native athletes in our roster. Lacrosse is a native sport built on strong values and sportsmanship. The Swarm is proud to host our longstanding Native Heritage night every season to honor the sport. And to help educate our fanbase on the history and tradition of the game.”

The NLL’s Georgia Swarm moved to 4-0 with a 13-11 win in Philadelphia on Saturday, led by star forward Lyle Thompson’s three goals and three assists.