A former Maple Ridge Burrards GM will be inducted into the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame.
With over a quarter of century of commitment, Reynold Comeault is being honoured in the building category.
Comeault is well known as a builder and a mainstay of both box and field lacrosse in B.C., said the announcement from the hall.
He has been involved at all levels of lacrosse from minor lacrosse in Maple Ridge up to the senior level (including two WLA championship teams in 2016 and 2018.
“Rey’s efforts to help promote and grow the game are unparalleled,” said the release.
Among his major contributions are serving as BC Regional Coach from 2008 to 2010, and Team BC field lacrosse coordinator from 2010-2020 – a role of overseeing all men’s and women’s field lacrosse teams.
Under his leadership, BC Field Lacrosse has grown from three to 10 age-appropriate teams.
“The Team BC field program has become hugely successful creating opportunities for countless young student athletes to train and develop,” said the release. “Led by Rey and his supporters, more than 260 young men and women student athletes from British Columbia have received university scholarships across the United States and Canada.
“As an individual, Rey Comeault has always been the epitome of a genuine professional employing his passion and commitment to organize and adapt to whatever was required for success.”
He was the GM of the WLA Burrards in 2016 and 2017, when the team was enjoying some of its best years, and served as an assistant GM prior to that.
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Comeault said he has been getting calls from lacrosse people as news of his induction broke.
“It’s an enormous honour,” he said. “When you get involved, you don’t expect anything of this magnitude.”
“Lacrosse people are cut from a different cloth, and once you get caught up in the sport, it’s so infectious.”
His work in establishing field lacrosse in Maple Ridge helped create opportunities for numerous local athletes to pursue opportunities, including US college scholarships. His son Reegan was among them, as the younger Comeault played for the NCAA Ohio State Buckeyes.
His former GM with the Burrards, Daren Fridge, said Comeault added a lot of knowledge of prospects to the WLA squad, and was responsible for the team acquiring players such as Zack and Colton Porter, who were heart-and-soul players for the squad.
“Rey was a great addition, and a real nice, honest man,” said Fridge.
Comeault hasn’t been doing much with lacrosse in recent seasons, but that could change soon, he said.
“I’m going to be a granddad, so I’ll be doing it all again.”
He was inducted alongside former players Rich Catton, Blane Harrison, Trish Nicholson, Josh Sanderson, Troyhann Santos and Kaleb Toth; fellow builders Doug Luey and Joanne Stanga; and official Bill Fox.
Catton is a former Burrard, who won WLA best defensive player with Ridge in 1996, and first team all-star.
His son Cole Catton was drafted by the Maple Ridge WLA squad with their second pick in the 2022 draft.
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These new inductees bring the total number honoured in lacrosse’s national shrine to 560 – 165 builders, 339 players and 56 veterans (those who played in 1985 or before) and one in the official category. Prior to this year officials were inducted in the builder category. There are also 24 teams inducted under the team category.
The formal induction banquet and ceremonies are scheduled for November.
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