ST. CATHARINES - The best senior B lacrosse players in Canada will be calling St.Catharines home for a weekin 2015.
It was announced this week that the St. Catharines Saints will be hosting the Presidents Cup, the Canadian Lacrosse Association’s senior B national championships, Aug. 31 to Sept. 6 at either the Jack Gatecliff Arena or the new Meridian Centre.
“Winning one was always my first step and it’s exciting, but to host a national event is even a bigger honour,” Saints president/general manager Dave Colbourne said.
In their three years in St. Catharines, the Saints have won three straight Ontario Lacrosse Association senior B titles, winning the Canadian Lacrosse Association national championship in 2013. This year’s senior nationals are in Coquitlam, B.C.
“To win in Montreal or to win in British Columbia is great, but there’s nothing bigger that winning a national championship in your own backyard,” Colbourne said.
Colbourne first made a presentation to host to the Ontario senior B league which passed it on to the OLA and then the CLA.
Teams competing in the tournament will be: the host St. Catharines squad: the winner of the Ontario league championship or the runner-up if the Saints win; the champions of the Can-Am and Iroquois Lacrosse Association leagues; and, the champions from Quebec, British Columbia and Alberta.
Each team plays each other in a round-robin and then the top four teams advance to the semifinals.
Colbourne is OK with the tournament being played at either the Jack Gatecliff Arena or the new Meridian Centre.
“We’re still in negotiations,” Colbourne said. “The history of Jack Gatecliff is pretty enticing to me but the modern Meridian Centre would also be nice.”
When the national championships were last held in Ontario, Owen Sound and Kitchener were in the final and the Owen Sound arena was sold out, Colbourne said.
He expects upwards of 50 volunteers will be required to make the event run smoothly.
“It only works with volunteers, and we will have a big push for them,” he said. “We’re looking for them now and we’re not waiting until next year.
“We want to make this an event and not just a tournament.”
Those interest in volunteering or sponsorships should contact Colbourne at 416-209-5367 or saintslacrosse@hotmail.com.
“Winning one was always my first step and it’s exciting, but to host a national event is even a bigger honour,” Saints president/general manager Dave Colbourne said.
In their three years in St. Catharines, the Saints have won three straight Ontario Lacrosse Association senior B titles, winning the Canadian Lacrosse Association national championship in 2013. This year’s senior nationals are in Coquitlam, B.C.
“To win in Montreal or to win in British Columbia is great, but there’s nothing bigger that winning a national championship in your own backyard,” Colbourne said.
Colbourne first made a presentation to host to the Ontario senior B league which passed it on to the OLA and then the CLA.
Teams competing in the tournament will be: the host St. Catharines squad: the winner of the Ontario league championship or the runner-up if the Saints win; the champions of the Can-Am and Iroquois Lacrosse Association leagues; and, the champions from Quebec, British Columbia and Alberta.
Each team plays each other in a round-robin and then the top four teams advance to the semifinals.
Colbourne is OK with the tournament being played at either the Jack Gatecliff Arena or the new Meridian Centre.
“We’re still in negotiations,” Colbourne said. “The history of Jack Gatecliff is pretty enticing to me but the modern Meridian Centre would also be nice.”
When the national championships were last held in Ontario, Owen Sound and Kitchener were in the final and the Owen Sound arena was sold out, Colbourne said.
He expects upwards of 50 volunteers will be required to make the event run smoothly.
“It only works with volunteers, and we will have a big push for them,” he said. “We’re looking for them now and we’re not waiting until next year.
“We want to make this an event and not just a tournament.”
Those interest in volunteering or sponsorships should contact Colbourne at 416-209-5367 or saintslacrosse@hotmail.com.
