History of the St. Lawrence Laurentians

The origin of soccer dates back to the first settlers of St. Lawrence who came from the old countries of England, Scotland, and Ireland. It was often said that they filled a bladder with hay from a dead cow to kick around a meadow. In 1904, the first recorded soccer game was played between the Laurentians and a team from St. John’s, Newfoundland who was working at a Liver Factory in Little St. Lawrence. From 1904-1922 games were played against crews from ships that anchored in the harbour.

Father Augustine Thorne, a Roman Catholic Priest, organized the first game against the neighbouring town of Lawn in1922. Up until 1950 regional games were played against Lawn, Grand Bank, Burin and the French Island of Saint Pierre.

When the Newfoundland Soccer Association was formed in 1950, the St. Lawrence Laurentians entered competitive soccer at the Provincial level. The St. Lawrence soccer team won it’s first of many All Newfoundland Championships in 1951.

From 1951 the St. Lawrence soccer teams have been a powerhouse of soccer both on the Burin Peninsula where they have dominated and at the provincial level success has also been achieved culminating in the Laurentians being named the “Team of the Decade” for the 70’s and also “Team of the Decade” for the 90’s.

Newfoundland entered the Canadian Challenge Cup of Soccer in 1967, the Laurentians represented Newfoundland in 1967 and has done so 25 times (the most of any team in Canada).

During those 25 years, St. Lawrence has won the Atlantic Provinces Championship in 1967, 1971, 1972, 1978, and 1979; Eastern Canadian Championship in 1976; Silver Medallists in 1975, 1977, and 2002; Bronze Medallists in 1999 & 2007. In 2002 at King George V field in St. John’s, St. Lawrence won the Silver Medal losing 1-0 in extra time to Manitoba in the championship game. This game was played before 8000 spectators.

In Eastern Canadian Masters, St. Lawrence has won Gold medals in 2006 & 2007 & a Silver medal in 2012.

St. Lawrence Laurentians hosted the National Challenge Cup in 1977. Eric King, Executive Director of the Canadian Soccer Association in thanking the Association referred to St. Lawrence as “The Soccer Capital of Canada”.

Several players were invited for national tryouts over the years. Wils Molloy (Mr. Soccer in St. Lawrence), Clem (Junior) Edwards, Joe Turpin, and Tom Tarrant.

Two ex-Laurentians have played on National Challenge Cup winning teams. Brian Slaney with Saint John Drydock in 1980 and Mike Howlett with Calgary Celtics in 1999. Keith Farrell played on the Memorial University team that won the national CIAU title in 1973.

With a declining population, it puzzles everyone how Laurentian teams can still dominate against populations much greater than theirs. The answer lies in the Minor Soccer program that continues to develop the best “team” players in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador.