HISTORY
Since 1877
The Athletic Lacrosse Club was established in 1877 as a senior field lacrosse club. A force to be reckoned from their early days, the club captured an impressive eight (8) consecutive Globe Shields (1905-1912), the crowning jewel of lacrosse in Ontario in that era.
During the Great War (WWI), St. Catharines did not have a senior team but started to develop the minor system for youth. Through the 1920s and 30s, Ontario championships were won at the midget, juvenile and junior age groups. As box lacrosse started to overtake the field game in popularity in the 1930s, the Athletics were once again making their way to the top.
They won their first Mann Cup in the 1938 series against the New Westminster Adanacs played at Maple Leaf Gardens. They would go on to compete in or win the Mann Cup in each of the next 9 years. In the late 50s the Senior team moved to Welland for a brief period but returned to St. Catharines to compete for another 8 years before folding in 1968.
Today’s strong and successful Athletics minor lacrosse teams continue to feed a competitive Junior A program (age 17-21)
SINCE 1877, THE ST. CATHARINES ATHLETICS HAVE BEEN INTRODUCING LACROSSE TO NEW PLAYERS AND GROWING THE GAME
The Athletics are one of the largest associations in Ontario with a local box co-ed house league program, soft lacrosse which introduces kids as young as 3-years-old to Canada’s National Summer Sport, rep box and field teams at each age division, an ever growing and dominate girls rep box program, a women’s field lacrosse program, as well as teams in the Ontario Junior Lacrosse League (Junior A) and Ontario Junior B Lacrosse League (Junior B).
There are so many great players, coaches, volunteers and builders of the game from our community, who contributed at the provincial and national level, and each has their own story. Some of these greats have been recognized with inclusion into the Canadian and Ontario Lacrosse Halls of Fame and many are still playing or coaching in the NLL today.