Les Bartley - Toronto Rock

Toronto Rock

When the MILL became the NLL in 1998, the league added its first Canadian franchise: the Ontario Raiders, who played in Copps Coliseum in Hamilton, Ontario. Bartley, a native of nearby St. Catharines, Ontario, helped get the new franchise off the ground. In 1999, the Ontario Raiders moved to Toronto and became the Toronto Rock. Les coached the Rock to four championships in five years.

In November 2003, Les gave up his role of Coach and General Manager of the Rock to fight colon cancer, though he maintained the title of Vice-President of the Rock. Prior to the 2005 season, Bartley, who worked as a General Motors union representative until retiring in 2004, lent his labour negotiation expertise to the league, helping to reach a collective bargaining agreement with the NLL players' association. On May 9, 2005, Bartley was named by the NLL as its Executive of the Year.

Less than a week later, on May 15, 2005, Les Bartley died at his home in St. Catharines after his 18-month battle with cancer. Bartley was 51. He died 18 hours after the Toronto Rock won their 5th NLL Championship.