About the WLA

The Western Lacrosse Association (WLA) is an amateur league of men’s Senior A box lacrosse sanctioned by the Canadian Lacrosse Association. It consists of seven teams, based in cities throughout southwestern British Columbia. Each year, the playoff teams battle for the right to compete against the Major Series Lacrosse champion for the Mann Cup every September. The championship is hosted alternately between Ontario and British Columbia every year.

The calibre of lacrosse in the WLA is very high, as the majority of its players also play in the National Lacrosse League during the winter months, while the WLA schedule runs from mid-May to August.

League History

  • May 4, 1932 – Box lacrosse adopted by British Columbia Amateur Lacrosse Association
  • 1932–1933 – Senior Box Lacrosse League (under BCALA umbrella)
  • 1934–1967 – Inter-City Lacrosse League (ICLL)
  • 1968 – National Lacrosse Association (Western Division)
  • 1969–present – Western Lacrosse Association (WLA)

Past Teams

The Indians

  • 1932 North Vancouver Squamish Indians
  • 1934–1941 North Shore Indians (suspended ops during World War II)
  • 1945 Indian Arrows
  • 1946–1951 North Shore Indians
  • 1952–1954 PNE Indians
  • 1955 Mount Pleasant Indians (merged with Vancouver Pilsners)

Vancouver Athletic Club / Abbotsford Hotel

  • 1932 Vancouver Athletic Club (renamed Abbotsford Hotel)
  • 1933 Vancouver Abbotsford Hotel

New Westminster Adanacs

  • 1933–1941 New Westminster Adanacs (suspended ops during World War II)
  • 1945–1950 New Westminster Adanacs (merged with New Westminster Salmonbellies)

Richmond Farmers

  • 1933–1934 Vancouver St. Helen's Hotel (transferred to Richmond)
  • 1935–1936 Richmond Farmers (merged with Vancouver Home Gas)
  • 1937 Richmond-Homes Combines
  • 1938–1941 Richmond Farmers
  • 1942 Burrard Drydock 'Wallaces United'
  • 1943–1949 Richmond Farmers (transferred to Vancouver-Kerrisdale)
  • 1950 Richmond-Kerrisdale 'Arkays' (merged with Vancouver Burrard Westerns)

Vancouver Bluebirds / Home Gas

  • 1934–1935 Vancouver Province Bluebirds
  • 1936 Vancouver Home Gas (merged with Richmond Farmers)

"Norvans"

  • 1942 North Vancouver Ship Repair Yard 'Norvans'

Military Teams

  • 1943–1944 Vancouver Army
  • 1944 Vancouver HMCS Discovery Navy

Nanaimo

  • 1951–1954 Nanaimo Native Sons
  • 1955–1958 Nanaimo Timbermen
  • 1959–1964 Nanaimo Labatts
  • 1975–1981 Nanaimo Timbermen

Burnaby

  • 1962 Burnaby Norburns

Current Team History

New Westminster Salmonbellies

  • 1888–1931 founded on May 12, 1888; played as field lacrosse club
  • 1932–1950 New Westminster Salmonbellies (merged with New Westminster Adanacs)
  • 1951 New Westminster Commandos
  • 1952–1953 New Westminster Salmonacs
  • 1954 New Westminster Royals
  • 1955–1958 New Westminster Salmonbellies
  • 1959–1966 New Westminster O'Keefes
  • 1967–present New Westminster Salmonbellies

Maple Ridge Burrards

  • 1937 Vancouver Burrard Olympics
  • 1938–1949 Vancouver Burrards
  • 1950 Vancouver Burrards Westerns (merged with Richmond Farmers)
  • 1951 Vancouver Combines
  • 1952–1958 Vancouver Pilseners
  • 1959–1969 Vancouver Carlings
  • 1970–1993 Vancouver Burrards (transferred to Surrey)
  • 1994–1995 Surrey Burrards (transferred to Maple Ridge)
  • 1996–present Maple Ridge Burrards

Victoria Shamrocks

  • 1950–1982 Victoria Shamrocks
  • 1983–1993 Victoria Payless
  • 1994–present Victoria Shamrocks

Coquitlam Adanacs

  • 1965–1967 Coquitlam Adanacs (transferred to Portland)
  • 1968 Portland Adanacs (transferred to Coquitlam)
  • 1969–present Coquitlam Adanacs

Burnaby Lakers

  • 1986–1989 Richmond Outlaws (transferred to Burnaby)
  • 1990–present Burnaby Lakers

Langley Thunder

  • 1994–1999 North Shore Indians (transferred to Kelowna)
  • 2000–2001 Okanagan Thunder (transferred to N. Vancouver)
  • 2002–2003 North Shore Thunder
  • 2004–present Langley Thunder

Nanaimo Timbermen

  • 2005–present Nanaimo Timbermen