Katie Smith is a proud member of the Mohawk Nation from Six Nations of the Grand River, Ontario, where lacrosse is more than a sport — it is medicine, culture, and identity. Growing up in a lacrosse family, Katie spent her summers immersed in the game, cheering from the stands long before picking up her first stick at age twelve. From that moment on, lacrosse became a lifelong passion and purpose.

Over two decades as a player, Katie’s talent and leadership carried her across every level of the game. She began her career with Six Nations Girls Field Lacrosse, helping her team capture U19 and Senior Provincial Championships. At just seventeen, she earned a spot on Team Canada’s U19 National Team, where she was ranked #1 in lacrosse skill and #2 overall, bringing home a bronze medal at the 2003 U19 Women’s World Championships.

Katie went on to play Division I lacrosse at both Ohio University and Syracuse University, where she helped lead Syracuse to a Big East Championship and a National Championship semifinal appearance in 2010.

Internationally, she represented the Haudenosaunee Nationals at the Women’s World Cup in 2009, 2013, and 2017, serving as team captain in 2017 and again at the 2019 Pan-American Lacrosse Association (PALA) Qualifier, where the team made history by winning Gold at the first-ever PALA Championship.

In box lacrosse, Katie was a two-time provincial champion with the Grand River Attack in the Ontario Women’s Box Lacrosse League (now WSML) and competed in the Women’s ALL East, reaching the finals in both inaugural seasons with the Shockwave. She also played in the United Lacrosse League Elite 28 (2021), a sixes-format league featuring Ontario’s top female athletes.

As a coach, Katie has poured her experience back into her community. Since beginning her coaching career in 2017 with Six Nations Girls Field Lacrosse, she has guided teams at every level from U11 to U19, leading them to multiple provincial medals, including U11 “C” champions, U13 “B” bronze, U15 “B” gold, and U19 “A” provincials in their first year. Recently, she earned national coaching certification and served on the coaching staff for the first-ever Women’s Team First Nations at the 2025 U19 Canadian Girls Field National Championships, where the team earned bronze.

Katie’s commitment to the game extends beyond competition. She takes immense pride in seeing the next generation thrive, including her two daughters, who share her dream of playing NCAA Division I lacrosse and representing their Nation on the world stage. Her eldest has already achieved her first milestone with a verbal Division I commitment.

“I started coaching because my daughters asked me to,” Katie says, “but I continue because it brings me joy to share my knowledge of the game and watch these girls grow as players and as people.”

Her goal is to continue developing talent within her community and expand her reach to help more girls across Ontario realize their potential; on the field, in the classroom, and beyond.

Katie looks forward to contributing her knowledge and experience to the Global Lacrosse Foundation’s Unity Through Lacrosse Tour, fostering understanding, opportunity, and connection through the Creator’s Game.