The Alfie Jacques Ambassador Award Board Announces 2025 Recipients

Nedrow, NY - The Alfie Jacques Ambassador Award board is honored to announce its 2025
recipients.
Established in 2023, the Alfie Jacques Ambassador Award was created to keep the legacy of the
Onondaga Stickmaker alive, to promote the game's sacred Indigenous roots, and to honor
members of the larger community who share Alfie's love of lacrosse and his commitment to its
growth.
In 2025, for the first time, the award will be presented to two recipients - Oren Lyons and Roy
Simmons Jr. - two longtime friends and former teammates whose lives and legacies stand as
profound representations of what the game of lacrosse is about. Both Lyons and Simmons have
walked alongside Alfie Jacques for decades, as advocates and storytellers. They have lived lives
that reflect the deep spiritual and communal roots of the game.
Oren Lyons
A Faithkeeper of the Turtle Clan of the Onondaga Nation and a lifelong defender of Indigenous
rights and the natural world, Oren Lyons has been a guiding force in preserving the sacred
origins of lacrosse. As a former Syracuse University goaltender and a central voice in the
creation of the Iroquois Nationals, Lyons has brought Indigenous philosophy and diplomacy to
global forums while always continuing to honor the spiritual essence of the game. Through his
oratory, leadership, and advocacy, Lyons embodies the clarity, humility, and cultural reverence
that defined Alfie Jacques and that this award seeks to uphold.
Roy Simmons Jr.
The legendary former head coach of Syracuse University men's lacrosse, Roy Simmons Jr. is
widely credited for elevating the sport while also maintaining a connection to its Indigenous
heritage. A lifelong friend of Alfie Jacques, Simmons made it his mission to introduce players,
fans, and the broader public to the Native origins of lacrosse, often inviting Alfie to speak to his
teams and shaping a culture of respect and curiosity. Known as much for his connection to his
players as for his national titles, Simmons championed creativity in all aspects of his coaching.
"When the award was created, we discussed the balance between North American and
International recipients and that one day we may want to honor more than one person per
year," said Robert Carpenter, Founder of Inside Lacrosse Magazine. "It wasn't the plan to pick
two recipients so soon, but when the idea of honoring the two lifelong friends, teammates and
lacrosse iconoclasts was examined, it's a step the board unanimously and enthusiastically
wanted to take."
- will get a quote from oren and roy
- anyone else want to add a quote?
The inaugural recipient was Sid Jamieson, the first Native American NCAA head coach and
founding coach of the Iroquois Nationals.
The 2025 awards will be the kick-off event for the 2025 Wooden Stick Festival in Syracuse, NY
on the weekend of September 12-14.
For more information about the Alfie Jacques Ambassador Award and past recipients, visit
www.alfieaward.com.
2024 Recipient Sid Jamieson is available for interviews.
For Media Inquiries contact:

American Indian Law Alliance
305 Vine Street Suite 3
Liverpool, NY 13088

The American Indian Law Alliance (AILA) was founded in 1989; it is an Indigenous, non-profit, non-partisan organization that works with Indigenous nations, communities, and organizations in our struggle for sovereignty, human rights, and social justice for our peoples.

This release was published on openPR.