Former Stealth bench boss loses cancer battle

Chris Hall’s battle four-year cancer battle is over.

The former Vancouver Stealth head coach passed away quietly Sunday morning, Dec. 21, with his family by his side.

He was 64.

In September, Hall’s legendary status was confirmed with an induction into the National Lacrosse League Hall of Fame.

He is one of only three head coaches in the league to have won NLL Champion’s Cup titles (Calgary in 2004, Washington in 2010) with two different teams.

Hall retired after 12 years as an NLL head coach, winning 85 regular season games; third most all-time at the time of his retirement.

In 2010 he was the co-recipient of the NLL Coach of the Year award.

Hall was destined for the lacrosse history books. As a youngster he followed his father to the old Memorial Arena in Victoria, where the elder Hall was the scorekeeper for the Victoria Shamrocks. Years later, Chris would join the Shamrocks as a player, and then would coach the team to two Mann Cup victories. He coached the Victoria Seasprays field lacrosse club to a staggering four-year, 76-game winning streak, capturing 12 Ross Cup senior A men’s national championships over 16 years.

His lacrosse acumen was recognized globally, as well. Hall was the head coach and assistant general manager of the Canadian national team from 1988 to 1994, and led Team England in subsequent years.

Still, the National Lacrosse League was CH’s biggest stage as a head coach.

He felt the NLL was the proving ground for the best lacrosse players in the word, and strived to make the best players even better.

Stealth captain Curtis Hodgson played for Hall the entire six seasons of Hall’s tenure with the team and said, “Losing CH today is devastating.

CH was a tremendous coach but more importantly he was an outstanding person and role model who brought out the best in his players. The courage he showed while leading our team over the last several seasons despite his health issues have had an enormous impact on us all. Our thoughts and deepest sympathies go out to Pam and the entire Hall family.”

With the team mourning the loss of the legend, Stealth president and general manager Doug Locker, said this about Hall, “Words cannot express the loss and emptiness that we are all feeling right now. CH was a dear friend, mentor and confidant. His battle over the last several years has served as an inspiration to all of us who watched him bravely fight this terrible illness. He will forever be remembered in our organization and throughout the lacrosse community for all the good he brought to the game we love.”

Hall is survived by his wife Pam, his sons Brock and Drew, his granddaughter Georgia, and his sister, Janice.

Details on services are forthcoming.