FALCONS' STORY
ROAD TO CHAMPIONSHIPS
FALCONS HISTORY
Thirty six years after Sardis Football put the pads away, the Falcons were revived in the fall of 2018!
Sardis Secondary last had a program in the early 1980’s. The shining star at that time was Rick Klassen, the finest football player to ever come out of Chilliwack. Klassen enjoyed a 10 year Canadian Football League career that included a Grey Cup win in 1985. It was the passing of the legendary star that made Athletic Director, Brad Geary, feel the time was right for a Falcon football resurrection.
“Rick was the greatest multi-sport athlete to come through this school, the greatest to pull a Falcon jersey over his head,” said Geary, who’s held the post of Sardis athletic director the last three years. “I’ve had re-starting the football program on my to-do list and when Rick passed away I thought, ‘This is the year to see if we can pull it together.’”
With the amazing support of original Falcon football alumni such as George Chayka, (currently BC Lions Vice President), the substantial financial support that was needed for a successful start was achieved. Final approval came at a BCHSF board meeting in the spring of 2018.
On September 7, 2018, returning to the gridiron after a 35 year absence, Sardis treated the home crowd to a 42-0 victory.
In a halftime ceremony, the No. 31 jersey that Klassen wore when he played at Sardis in the 1970s was retired, with the current Falcon roster lining up to watch. None of them were old enough to have watched Klassen play, but they could appreciate what his legendary legacy meant to Sardis football. A new No. 31 Falcons green jersey has been framed and will hang in the school where players of every sport see it every day.
A Falcon thank you to the coaches that are part of our special history:
1971-1983 John Tymoschuk 1977-1983 Glen Krause, Garry Taylor
1971-1973 Henry Remple 1977-1980 Mike Grew
1973-1977 Barry Lyon 1977 Barry Dudzik
Guest Coaches: Rick Higginson, Les Weiss
