Heyes, Coaching Staff to Return in 2019

The Victoria Shamrocks are pleased to welcome back the entire coaching staff for the 2019 season, the Shamrocks’ 70th anniversary. Head Coach Bob Heyes, Defensive Coach Art Webster, Offensive Coach Mike Simpson, and Video Coach John Hamilton will all be returning to the bench this coming year.

Bob Heyes will be entering his seventh season as Head Coach having taken over the position in 2012. He has since put together a winning record of 91-42-3, with three regular season first place finishes, three league championships and a Mann Cup championship to his credit. Heyes played in goal for the Shamrocks from 1989 to 2000, earning a Mann Cup as a player in 1997.

Art Webster has been an assistant coach with the club since 2003, running the defence and bringing decades of experience as a player and coach to the club. He has been involved in over fifteen Mann Cup championships, winning two as a player (1979, 1983) and three as a coach (2003, 2005, 2015). He was inducted as an Honoured Member of the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame as a player in 2007.

Mike Simpson joined the coaching staff in 2017 as offensive coach bringing his coaching experience from Junior A and the NLL to the mix. A Victoria native, Simpson was captain of both the Minto Cup-winning Victoria-Esquimalt League in 1988 and the Mann Cup-winning Shamrocks in 1997.

John Hamilton joined the coaching staff in 2017 as video coach, having played for the club from 1985 to 1997, with additional stints on the roster in 1999 and 2003. He earned Mann Cup championships as a player in 1997 and 1999 and bring a keen eye for detail to the club.

In a statement, General Manager Chris Welch commented, “We are lucky to have an amazing coaching staff that puts a ton of work into the club, and we have seen that work translate into results over the last few seasons. I know that they and our entire club will continue working as hard as it takes to get this club another Mann Cup championship.”

Victoria Shamrocks 2019 season memberships are now available from VictoriaShamrocks.com, starting at $125. For tickets, merchandise, and more information about the club, visit VictoriaShamrocks.com, or call 250-478-ROCK (7625).