About us
Cornwall Minor Lacrosse Association (CMLA) is a not-for-profit volunteer organization. The purpose of the organization is to promote, foster and teach the game of lacrosse in the association catchment area and endeavor to develop quality lacrosse players, officials and coaches in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Canadian Lacrosse Association and the Ontario Lacrosse Association. Our teams are known as the Cornwall Celtics.
Our history
Snippets from Cornwall Lacrosse History
1866 the first Cornwall team enters the National Lacrosse Union quickly going on to win 4 league pennants in 5 seasons
1901 The Duke and Duchess of York (later King George V and Queen Mary) were present at the first game played for the Minto Cup between the Capitals of Ottawa and Cornwall
Cornwall’s First Olympic Gold Medalist -Lacrosse was an Olympic sport in 1908 at the London games, Canada won Olympic gold and Cornwall’s own John Broderick was a team member
Perhaps the most famous Cornwall lacrosse player of all times was Edouard “Newsy” Lalonde a very gifted athlete. Newsy went on to be named “Lacrosse Player of the Half Century” and was inducted into both the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame and the Hockey Hall of Fame.
By the early 1970’s, there were over 500 players in the CMLA. The Cornwall Celtics Junior B club was crowned Provincial Champions in 1970 and in 1972 our community hosted the Castrol Cup, the National Junior B Championship
2000 a group of dedicated individuals worked diligently to bring the great game back to our community and the new CMLA was born
2002 CMLA Pee Wee team crowned Ontario Champions the first championship for the rejuvenated association
2003 Richard “Sonny” Herrington is inducted into the Ontario Lacrosse Hall of Fame in the Builder category
2004 & 2005 CMLA hosts OLA Midget Provincials welcoming over 40 teams to our community
2015 the first CMLA graduate is drafted into the National Lacrosse League, Jacob Ruest selected 35th overall by the Calgary Roughnecks