Burlington has a long and notable sports history that includes many outstanding athletes, coaches, officials, media, and volunteers. The Burlington Sports Hall of Fame (BSHOF) is dedicated to identifying and honouring these individuals who have created this rich tradition. This year, the BSHOF is celebrating its 17th year and is proud to be inducting six new honourees at their 2025 induction ceremony on Tuesday, May 27, at the Burlington Golf and Country Club.
Two of the 2025 inductees belong to the “Builder” category: Les Bell, for his contributions to Burlington men’s soccer, and Dave Nelson, for his work in the field of touch football. In the “Athlete” category are three inductees: Terry Martin, for his career in volleyball; Brandon Wagner, for his success in wheelchair basketball; and Kathryn (Katy) Williams, for her field hockey accomplishments. The final inductee is a team rather than an individual: the 2023 Burlington Blaze JR A Lacrosse team, who will be awarded the Don Green Award of Distinction. In this series, we’ll get to know each inductee and their impact on local sport.
Our first inductee is Les Bell.
When one looks at Burlington soccer, they often look at the myriad of talented athletes who have been through the Burlington youth soccer program and have gone on to provincial, national, and international success, most notably BSHOF inductee (2017) Melanie Booth. What must be understood is that the builders behind the scenes, the volunteers who create the opportunities, are key to the longevity of the success of soccer in Burlington.
Committed volunteers like Les Bell.
Les Bell has dedicated over 35 years as a volunteer for the Burlington Soccer Club, including being on the executive from 1989–2017, with 15 years as president. His greatest accomplishment was the formation of the Burlington Soccer League (BSL), Burlington’s first adult league, and his efforts saw the league grow from 10 teams to an astounding 84 teams with over 1,500 players.
Les and others realized that for this growth to be sustainable, they needed to merge with the highly successful Burlington Youth Soccer Club (BYSC), so Les negotiated the incorporation of the BSL with the BYSC to form the Burlington Soccer Club. The adult division started in 2018. Simply put, soccer became a “club for all ages.”
In 2017, Les started the Ken Bradwell Soccer Tournament to raise funds for local hospitals. Teams from all over Ontario and upper New York state come to the tourney, and so far, they have raised over $114,000 for Joseph Brant, Oakville Memorial, and Juravinski hospitals.
For his efforts, Les was awarded the Queen’s Jubilee Medal in 2022, and the Burlington Sports Hall of Fame is now honoured to induct Les Bell as part of our 2025 class in the builder category.
This year’s induction reception will be held on Tuesday, May 27, at the Burlington Golf and Country Club, with Steve Foxcroft as emcee. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. with socializing from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. and formal inductions from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Hors d’oeuvres will be served throughout the evening along with a cash bar.
For tickets, which cost $65 each, email Wayne Heslop at Wayne.heslop@cogeco.ca or call 905-520-8922.
