Women's lacrosse in Prague

Native American women's dream comes true in PragueCharlene Thomas, general manager of the Native-American Haudenosaunee team, had taken her "girls" to Prague for the women's lacrosse World Cup--the first such event for the team that will only celebrate its first birthday in August.

"We wanted to see our girls have their dream come true and this day, this year has done it for them," said Thomas, a retiree who does her current job as a volunteer.

Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) is a confederacy of the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca and Tuscarora nations living mostly in upstate New York and the Ontario province in Canada.

It joined the international women's lacrosse federation IFWLA only two years ago, after complying with the Native American tradition.

"We presented our request to the chiefs, and they gave us consent," said Thomas.

Unlike their counterparts in men's lacrosse, the Iroquois Nationals, who have played at four World Cups to date, the women's team was officially established only in August 2008.Comment:  For more on the subject, see Iroquois Team Takes Bronze and Lacrosse Crosses the Pacific.

Below:  "Dutch lacrosse player Jantien Van Der Kooij (right) fights for the ball with Katie Smith of the US Haudenosaunee at the women's lacrosse world cup in Prague, on June 24."