The numbers from the Burnaby Jr. Lakers dozen-year dynasty between 1996 and 2007 are staggering. During their reign of 12 seasons, the Lakers won the Minto Cup, Canada’s national junior lacrosse championship, in 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004 and 2005. (The 1998 team has already been inducted into the Hall but the Hall recently changed its criteria from requiring teams to be from a single season to allow for the induction of teams over multiple consecutive seasons.) During the dynasty, the Lakers went to the Minto Cup all 12 years. In addition to their five titles the Jr. Lakers were runners-up six times and came third once (2006).

The Lakers finished first in the BCJALL regular-season standings in 10 of the 12 seasons and were second the other two. Their won-loss-tie record was 259-26-1, which is a winning percentage of 90.9%. The Lakers went undefeated in the 1998, 1999 and 2006 seasons. They suffered one loss twice, just two losses three times and three losses a trio of times. During the Lakers’ dynastic dozen they scored 1,685 more goals than their opposition, an average difference of 140.4 more goals per season.

The mastermind behind the dynasty was the late Jack Crosby, a lacrosse legend who was inducted into the Burnaby Sports Hall of Fame’s first class in 2001. Crosby recruited outstanding coaches including Burnaby Hall of Fame honoured members Dave Lough (2008) and Paul Dal Monte (2013), and current Vancouver Warriors coach Curt Malawsky while attracting or drafting many elite players. Although throughout the dozen seasons there was turnover in coaches, players and staff, the one constant was the program’s commitment to excellence in its culture which became the dynasty’s foundation.