Western Lacrosse Association Appoints Executive Director

Hall-of-Famer Ben Hieltjes to Join League

May 8, 2018

Burnaby, BC – The Western Lacrosse Association (WLA) today announced that the Board of Governors has unanimously approved the appointment of Ben Hieltjes as Executive Director for a three-year term.

Inducted in the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2002, Hieltjes was born and raised in New Westminster, playing his entire Junior and Senior career with the Salmonbellies. A six-time WLA all-star, Hieltjes has three Mann Cup championships to his name, all with the New Westminster squad (1986, 1989, 1991), and was honoured with the Mike Kelley Award for Most Valuable Player in the Mann Cup for his role in the 1989 victory.

Hieltjes and Commissioner Paul Dal Monte were teammates on the Salmonbellies from 1986 to 1992. “I’m thrilled to have Ben come back to the Western Lacrosse Association in this capacity,” said Dal Monte. “The Executive Director and the Commissioner naturally have to work closely, so to have the opportunity to work with a good friend and former teammate will make for a productive working relationship.”

Hieltjes is presently the General Manager for the Western Canadian division of a major worldwide tile manufacturer; he joins the WLA effective immediately.

The 2018 Western Lacrosse Association regular season opens on May 23rd when the Burnaby Lakers visit the Langley Thunder at the Langley Events Centre at 7:30pm. View the full 2018 schedule at WLALacrosse.ca

***

The Western Lacrosse Association (WLA) is an amateur league of men’s Senior A box lacrosse sanctioned by the Canadian Lacrosse Association. The WLA consists of seven teams, based in cities throughout southwestern British Columbia, playing an 18-game schedule from late May to the end of July. Each year, the playoff teams battle for the right to compete against the Major Series Lacrosse champion (Ontario) for the Mann Cup every September. The championship is hosted alternately between Ontario (MSL) and British Columbia (WLA) every year.

For more information, contact:

Paul Dal Monte                                        Ben Hieltjes
Commissioner                                         Executive Director
wlacommissioner@gmail.com             bhieltjes@wlalacrosse.ca

604.862.6863