By Ottawa Sports Pages, for Gloucester Lacrosse Association
Jeff Hartley couldn’t have imagined a much better way to wind down 2024. The long-time local lacrosse volunteer was in the crowd for the rebirth of pro lacrosse in Ottawa on Nov. 29, the new Bears Black dominated the Toronto Rock 11-5, and he was surrounded by a Canadian Tire Centre crowd full of fellow lacrosse fans, players he’s coached, and his own family.
“It was a great show. It was a lot of fun to watch,” says the new president of the Gloucester Lacrosse Association, who believes that the return of the National Lacrosse League will also help fuel the sport’s rebirth at the youth level in Ottawa, particularly in the east end.
The Black Bears’ debut was a special moment for the sport Hartley’s come to love since he was first asked to coach a Gloucester Griffins team 25 years ago.
“It hasn’t stopped since then,” smiles Hartley, who’s now coached in the GLA for just as long without one of his four kids playing as he did during their minor lacrosse careers.
“I love the game and I love working with the youth,” he adds. “And it’s our national summer sport. I am a proud Canadian. I love hockey too, but I found there are a lot of great hockey coaches out there and there aren’t a lot of great lacrosse coaches, so I went where I thought I could have more impact.
“And my whole family’s right into it.”
Sitting with Hartley at the Black Bears game was his son Fred, who was an Ontario Junior ‘B’ Lacrosse League MVP with the Griffins in 2014 and 2015 and still plays Senior ‘B’ with the Capital Region Axemen.
His daughter Dominique, who’s served as referee-in-chief for the GLA and the Canada Summer Games, had an even better view of the action while operating the shot clock as an NLL game official.
Dominique, a past provincial-level gymnast, helped start Ottawa’s first women’s lacrosse team in Ottawa around 2010, alongside her father.
A next-generation women’s lacrosse pioneer with GLA roots also had a prominent role at the NLL game, as the Black Bears and Mynott Construction selected Mary James as their inaugural Community Lacrosse Builder Program honouree.
This past summer, James coached the Gloucester Lady Griffins under-22 team to their first Ontario Lacrosse Festival ‘B’ championship, and then in the fall, she coached the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees club as well as the Haudenosaunee Nationals, who won the bronze medal at the Box Lacrosse Women’s World Championships.
Read More: Gloucester Lady Griffins players celebrate provincial gold, national bronze back-to-back
The Lady Griffins earned the biggest prize for the GLA on the competitive side in the 2024 season, while Hartley’s U17 Griffins earned their way into Ontario’s ‘A’ division before missing the Final Six by just one point to finish seventh overall in the province.
Earning more widespread competitive success is one of the goals set by Hartley, who took over as GLA head in late October after past president Stephanie Pagan moved away from the region.
Hartley is far from a rookie leader. The childhood Toronto Beaches player first became part of the GLA executive when he spearheaded the launch of a Jr. ‘C’ program for players who otherwise wouldn’t have had a place to play.
Hartley has often filled holes in order to provide playing opportunities, and it was a similar story when he accepted the nomination as GLA president.
“It’s one of the problems with us military types,” signals the former Canadian Armed Forces member of 37 years. “Give us a mission and we finish it.”
When Hartley attended his first Ontario Lacrosse Association meeting on behalf of the GLA, he already knew most of the other leaders there. Experience will be an asset in his new position, he notes, and the memory of close to 1,000 Griffins playing lacrosse each year in the early 2000s provides inspiration for the renaissance he’d like to see in the GLA – which was hurt badly by COVID – alongside the NLL.
“I think it’s going to be potentially a really big boom for recruitment,” indicates Hartley, who’s been impressed to see the Black Bears prioritize support for minor lacrosse right out of the gate. “They can be a real catalyst. And it’s a symbiotic thing. If they boost minor lacrosse in Ottawa, you’re gonna want to take your kid to go watch the best lacrosse.”
Hartley recognizes a revival won’t happen overnight, but he’d like to see the Griffins’ top competitive teams at least make the ‘B’ level, and for each age group to have a second competitive entry.
His priority as president, however, will be strengthening Gloucester’s grassroots and house league ranks. That will start with a free Try LAX program (dates will be announced soon via Gloucester-Lacrosse.com).
Another great opportunity to get an introduction to lacrosse will be on Jan. 17 when it’s GLA Night at the Black Bears’ home game against Vancouver. It’s a chance to check out the sport at highest level, and to see Griffins players in action on the floor during the break, and visit the GLA’s info booth.
“It’s the fastest game on two feet,” highlights Hartley, noting that the GLA sticks to its summer season and encourages multi-sport participation, which can be refreshing to young athletes involved in many other sports.
Inside a team environment, lacrosse promotes fitness and teaches great “life lessons,” he adds, while developing character traits like resilience.
“Lacrosse is a different journey,” Hartley underlines. “If this journey fits into your family dynamic, give us a shot.”
Find out more at Gloucester-Lacrosse.com and follow the GLA on Instagram and Facebook as well as the Lady Griffins on Instagram.