Vale Graham Lee

Lacrosse Victoria are saddened to hear of the passing of LV life member Graham Lee.

Some words from Surrey Park Lacrosse Clubs, Graeme Fox:

The Lee family have had a long involvement with Surrey over 3 generations. Graham and brothers Ian and Trevor all played, then followed by his sons Gavin and Martin and grandsons Jamie and Lachlan.

Graham began his Lacrosse career in 1951, playing his first junior game after being recruited by Lew Shobbrook, a fellow student at Box Hill High. He spent most of his playing career as a defender, using his unique left handed skills to thwart many opponents with deft checks and inventive strategy. He was selected in the 1953 Victorian U16 team and then played in the senior C Grade team in 1954. He studied at Melbourne University from 1955-1959 and under the University rule where students were required to play for Melbourne University, this was where he continued his Lacrosse.

In 1959 he was selected in the Combined Universities team (along with brother Ian) that played against the touring Virginia and Washington & Lee Universities (which also played international games against Australia – including one at the MCG). On completing his studies, Graham was lost to Lacrosse while teaching in Rutherglen and Wangaratta for 10 years. He returned to Melbourne in 1970 and played with brothers Ian and Trevor in Surrey’s C Grade team which that year won Surrey’s first senior premiership. He continued to play until 1975 and at the same time took on the role of junior co-ordinator, with sons Gavin (1972) and Martin (1975) also commencing their playing careers with Surrey.

He continued in the junior co-ordinator role until 1985 when he was appointed as principal of Blackburn High School, following a previous role at Monash High School. At the end of his teaching career, Graham joined the executive of the VLA as treasurer from 1992-97. He then took on the position of secretary of the VLA in 1998, a position he filled until halfway through 2010. When Lacrosse Victoria was formed in 2007, he also took on the role of Executive Manager which he continued in before stepping down at the end of 2009.

During much of this time with the VLA/Lacrosse Victoria, he took on many extra roles, including providing support for the Doncaster club before its demise in 1995, President of the fledgling Knox Lacrosse club and providing assistance for the developing Bendigo Lacrosse Club.

On his retirement from Lacrosse Victoria, he directed his efforts back to Surrey, helping wherever he could with recruiting and around the club as scorer for a number of teams. In recent years, he has put much of his time into researching and co-authoring a history of the Surrey Park Lacrosse Club, while also attending the monthly ‘Elders lunches’.

Graham had a real passion for the game of Lacrosse, playing for 15 years, and then continuing to devote his time as an administrator with a special leaning towards developing and supporting junior recruiting.

He was recognised with Life Membership of Surrey Park in 1978, Life Membership of the VLA in 2005 and was awarded the VLA Past President’s Trophy in 1996.

He will be fondly remembered by all at Surrey and also by the wider Lacrosse Community.

Our thoughts are with his wife Lois and Martin, Jamie and Lachlan and the extended Lee family.