Bob Opperman
NAME: Bob Opperman
INDUCTED: 2025
HOMETOWN: Toronto
POSITION: Builder
Few individuals have shaped the landscape of community lacrosse in Ontario as profoundly as Bob Opperman. A residential school survivor who found strength and purpose through sport, Bob turned adversity into action, dedicating his life to introducing and nurturing the game of lacrosse in Toronto’s Alexandra Park and Kensington Market communities.
In 1963, Bob founded the St. Christopher House Lacrosse Program—an initiative that would become a beacon of opportunity for generations of youth. At a time when lacrosse was virtually unknown in the downtown core, Bob built a grassroots program from the ground up, offering not just a sport, but a lifeline. With no financial support from families, he secured provincial funding, partnered with the University of Toronto for donated gear, and even hand-crafted equipment—designing kidney pads, goalie chest protectors, and goal nets that became staples of the program.
Bob’s innovation was matched only by his leadership. He coached every level from Novice to Midget, mentored future coaches and officials, and coordinated every practice, game, and tournament. His efforts gave hundreds of kids—many from low-income and immigrant families—the chance to play, compete, and grow. There were no tryouts at St. Chris: if you showed up, you played. And under Bob’s guidance, you learned not just the game, but the values of courage, dignity, and sportsmanship.
His legacy includes the development of future lacrosse leaders like Bob Ellis, Dan Atkinson, the late Gary Martin, and the creation of a program that thrived for over 40 years. Even after stepping back from coaching, Bob remained a driving force through alumni committees, reunions, and as a consultant during the transition to West Metro Lacrosse.
We honour Bob Opperman as a builder of programs, and a builder of people. His life’s work embodies the spirit of the Creator’s Game—resilient, inclusive, and deeply rooted in community.
Ontario Lacrosse Hall of Fame & Museum
Lock 3, 1932 Welland Canals Parkway
St. Catharines, Ontario, L2R 7C2