Outstanding Contributor Laura Hebert Set to Join National Lacrosse Hall of Fame

For Laura Hebert, it was love at first site.

“I had never seen lacrosse or played the game, but I volunteered to help at an event at Ohio Wesleyan in 1988, spent the entire weekend there, and kind of fell in love with it,” Hebert said. “I had to work hard to learn the game, but I think I got more invested because I was learning something new.”

Having previously officiated field hockey, getting involved with lacrosse as a women’s game official seemed to be the logical progression for Hebert.

“It was an opportunity to stay involved and stay relevant as a contributor to a sport,” Hebert said.

Her calling as an official also seemed to have a strong and pragmatic connection to her life as a teacher and professional educator. It was a symbiotic relationship.

“You’ve got rules, you know how to follow policies and procedures, it gives you a road map, and its what I do anyway,” Hebert said. “It was easy to connect the two worlds, and the people made it very enjoyable to stay involved.”

That involvement with lacrosse has lasted nearly three decades for Hebert, who is being inducted into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame on January 6 as a ‘truly great contributor.”

In addition to becoming a highly-respected game official who worked collegiate championship games, Hebert also spent many years as a lacrosse administrator and volunteer, including service on the national rules committee and on the USA Lacrosse board of directors. She served as chair of the board from 2012-2014.

“Preserving the integrity of the women’s game was always important to me,” Hebert said. “Along the way, I was able to work with great leaders and help effect positive change.”

As just the second woman to serve as chair of USA Lacrosse’s board of directors, she realized that she would likely be under close scrutiny by many within the lacrosse community.

“I knew I had to learn a lot about the men’s game,” Hebert said. “Some of the other members of the board really helped me learn the men’s game. One of the strengths of the board at that time was a belief in consensus building, and we understood that merging the games was an imperative if we wanted to be in the Olympics.”

Without taking anything away from the significant work done by World Lacrosse in recent years to advance the cause of Olympic inclusion, Hebert simply smiles and says, “I like to think that we had a little bit to do with it, but who knows?”

Hebert is also proud of USA Lacrosse’s commitment to officials’ and coaches’ education, which was a high priority during her time on the board and a reason she believes that the sport continues to be so safe for all participants.

Hebert’s longtime officiating colleague Laurette Payette, also a member of the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame, says that Hebert’s leadership style is built around a commitment to allowing all voices to be heard.

“Laura has a very strong sense of fairness and inclusivity,” Payette said. “She’s very good at recognizing and listening to those around her and knowing how to include them and make them part of the team.”

Hebert understands that everybody in a given community, including lacrosse, is connected. Nothing happens in a vacuum.

“If you are going to have an opinion about the machine, you better be a part of the machine,” Hebert said. “A lot of people have a lot of good ideas, but because they are not part of the machine, nobody ever hears them. There’s a place for everybody, and that’s what is so great about an organization that is inclusive and welcoming.”

Tickets

Tickets are now on sale for the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, hosted by USA Lacrosse on Saturday, January 6 at the Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace Hotel. All tickets must be purchased online in advance.  Tickets include open bar, hors d'oeuvres, dinner, and dessert. The event begins with a cocktail reception, sponsored by Axia Time, at 5 p.m.