Vancouver Burrards

Vancouver Burrards has been the name of several lacrosse teams in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Vancouver Burrards (WLA) 1937–1993

Former Senior 'A' team which joined the Inter-City Lacrosse League in 1937. The team played in the Western Lacrosse Association until 1993 when the team was transferred to Surrey. Two years later the Surrey Burrards moved to their current home in Maple Ridge.

During the team's existence in Vancouver, it underwent numerous name changes to reflect sponsorship and merging with other teams.

• 1937–1937 Vancouver Burrard Olympics
• 1938–1949 Vancouver Burrards
• 1950–1950 Vancouver Burrard Westerns
• 1951–1951 Vancouver Combines
• 1952–1958 Vancouver Pilseners
• 1959–1969 Vancouver Carlings
• 1970–1993 Vancouver Burrards

In the early days, the Vancouver Forum on the PNE grounds was used as the home arena until Kerrisdale Arena was built on the west side of the city in 1949. In May 1990, the Burrards left Kerrisdale Arena and moved to the PNE Agridome, playing there until departing for Surrey four seasons later.

HISTORY - UNDER CONSTRUCTION

The Burrard Olympics were founded in 1937 by Les Dickinson, Bill Calder, and Ed Bayley of the Burrard Liberal Association – however the team almost never got out of the starting gate due to a player signing dispute between the Richmond Farmers, Vancouver Home Gas and the newly formed Burrards. Three days before their Inter-City Lacrosse League season opener on May 1, 1937, a solution was found which saw the Richmond Farmers and Vancouver Home Gas teams merged into one combined squad.

The Burrard Olympics finished their inaugural season in last place and were renamed the Vancouver Burrards the following season, although in those early days the nickname Burrard Bombers or Blue Bombers was often heard and seen in the press. The Burrards improved to finish in third-place in the 5-team league with a winning record but then fell to the New Westminster Salmonbellies 15-11 and 12-10 in the first round of playoffs.

1939 saw the Burrards took first place during the regular season by 2 points but then lose again in the first-round of playoffs, this time 20-4 in game seven to the New Westminster Adanacs.

Vancouver Burrards won the Inter-City Lacrosse League regular season for the second year in a row in 1940. This time for the post-season, they secured a bye to the league finals and then swept the New Westminster Adanacs in four games. The Burrards then brushed aside the Rossland Red Men in two games to win the Kilmarnock Cup, symbolic of the senior champion of British Columbia. Vancouver then travelled eastwards to meet the Cornwall Braves in the Dominion semi-finals, easily handling their opposition in 2 lopsided games. Making their first Mann Cup appearance, the Burrards won the opening game 14-9 versus the St. Catharines Athletics before losing the next three games 15-5, 17-10, and 18-5.

Inter-City Lacrosse League (ICLL) 1937–1967

National Lacrosse Association (NLA) 1968

Western Lacrosse Association (WLA) 1969–1993

Team Record

Vancouver Burrards Senior Lacrosse Club

The Vancouver Burrards Senior Lacrosse Club currently consists of three member teams in Senior B, Senior C, and Intermediate B lacrosse; the Junior B team suspended operations for the 2007 season. There is no affiliation between the current Vancouver Burrards teams and the WLA Burrards now located in Maple Ridge.

Due to arena unavailabity in the City of Vancouver leading up to the 2010 Winter Olympics, the Senior B Burrards were forced out of their home arena at Killarney Community Centre after the 2006 season and moved to the Burnaby Lake arena. This resulted in the 2007 season becoming the first lacrosse season since 1928 in which no senior men's summer lacrosse was played within the City of Vancouver. Whether the 2010 Winter Olympics ends up killing summer lacrosse in the City of Vancouver waits to be seen.

The Senior B Vancouver Burrards were renamed Burnaby Burrards in 2008 to reflect their new home.

Vancouver Senior B Burrards (1999-2007)

West Coast Senior Lacrosse Association (WCSLA) franchise from 1989-2007. Team moved to Burnaby prior to the start of the 2007 season and renamed Burnaby Burrards the following year.

Governors

• Terry Kirstiuk (2001–2007)
• Shawn Joinson (2008–present)

Managers

• Terry Kirstiuk (2001–2006)
• Shawn Joinson (2007–present)

Head Coaches

• Dan Rodrigues (2001)
• Marc Olimpo (2002–2004)
• Dan Rodrigues (2005)
• Tony Delmonico (2007–present)

Team Record

Vancouver Senior C Burrards

West Central Lacrosse League (WCLL) franchise established in 2003 as the Vancouver Vipers. In October 2005 during the off-season, Vancouver's executive decided to rename the team the Burrards to keep in line with all other Vancouver box lacrosse teams from minor up through to senior level.

Team Executive

• Terry Kirstiuk (governor / team manager) 2003-2004, 2008–present
• Terry Kirstiuk (governor) 2005-2007
• Dave Stewart-Candy (team manager) 2005-2007

Team Record

Vancouver Junior A Burrards

In 1948 Vancouver Burrards defeated the St. Catharines Athletics 3 games to 2 (13-17, 10-4, 10-9, 10-13, 12-10) for the Minto Cup, Canadian Junior National Championship

Vancouver Junior B Burrards

Team Record

Vancouver Intermediate B Burrards

Team Record

Retired numbers

The following players have had their jersey numbers retired by the WLA Burrards club. The Senior B and Senior C Burrards also pay respect to these numbers and avoid using them as well.

• 1 - Walt Lee
• 1 - Jack Green
• 2 - Don Hamilton
• 5 - John Cavallin
• 14 - Harry Buchanan
• 18 - Bill Chisholm
• 21 - Roy Cavallin
• 29 - Dave Evans

Sports teams based in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia
College & university athletics	CIS UBC Thunderbirds (CWUAA/AII) Trinity Western Spartans (CWUAA) NCAA Division II Simon Fraser Clan (GNAC) CCAA Capilano Blues (PacWest) Kwantlen Eagles (PacWest) Douglas Royals (PacWest) Langara Falcons (PacWest)
Baseball	NWL Vancouver Canadians
Basketball	ABA: Vancouver Balloholics
Football	CFL BC Lions CJFL Langley Rams
Hockey	NHL Vancouver Canucks WHL Vancouver Giants BCHL Coquitlam Express Langley Rivermen Surrey Eagles
Lacrosse	NLL Vancouver Stealth WLA Burnaby Lakers Coquitlam Adanacs Langley Thunder Maple Ridge Burrards New Westminster Salmonbellies
Roller derby	WFTDA Terminal City Rollergirls
Rugby	RCNJC Vancouver Wave
Soccer	MLS Vancouver Whitecaps FC USL Whitecaps FC 2 USL W-League Vancouver Whitecaps FC USSDA Vancouver Whitecaps FC Residency