Dorothy Robertson Memorial Tournament gets underway

Technically, the Dorothy Robertson Memorial Tournament has its roots in a first date.

It was at Queen’s Park Arena, where Dorothy Robertson was waiting for the man who would eventually become her husband: he’d been playing a game of lacrosse before the two went out.

While Robertson is no longer with us—she passed away in 1995—the roots planted by that first date have blossomed into a multi-generational legacy tied to the fastest game on two feet.

“My mother has fourteen grandchildren, and I would say a lot of great grandchildren, so last year the very first great granddaughter [started] playing lacrosse,” explains Janice Wharton, who is one of Robertson’s six children. Wharton will be on hand this weekend during the Dorothy Robertson Memorial Tournament, an event that spans Friday May 12 to Sunday May 14. The tournament celebrates novice to midget female players.

Wharton will be part of the ball drop on Saturday, May 13 at noon in Queen’s Park Arena.

Robertson was born and raised in New Westminster, and was a longtime volunteer and supporter for the game of lacrosse. She began her work in 1944, serving in a variety of capacities, including as secretary of the BC Lacrosse Association. Wharton underscored how committed her mother was to the game, so much so that there’s actually a plaque in the arena that marks her favourite spot.

“The Salmonbellies [have] this bronze plaque where my mother would always sit, in the same location,” she explains; the Salmonbellies previously wrote about Robertson’s penchant for all the tips and tricks for taking in a game—including what the best vantage point was. “One look at the location of this seat and you'll be able to tell how knowledgeable Dorothy was about the game of lacrosse. The seat is not at centre floor, but tucked away in the corner near the entrance to the visitor's side of the arena that is the perfect vantage point to see everything that was happening during the game,” they note on the tournament’s website.

While Wharton is incredibly proud of her mom on a variety of fronts, one memory that sticks out for her goes back to the 80s, when her mother urged the Salmonbellies to take a team of women across the pond to the UK to play in a tournament.

“She had heard that there was an international tournament in England that would be women’s field lacrosse,” she explains, adding that the team managed to come in third. Bronze medals weren’t available at the time, but Wharton adds that the team that went has since received them.

Robertson’s name has been in the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame for more than 30 years—she was inducted into the ‘builder’ category' in 1991—while the National Women’s trophy was also rededicated in her name. There is also a bursary awarded every year in her honour, given to a female player, coach, or official locally who exemplifies Robertson’s lacrosse—and personal values—of hard work, fair play, respect, and giving back to the lacrosse community.

To learn more about the various builders and other notable names in the lacrosse community, visit this page.

To keep track of the Salmonbellies’ schedule, visit their website.