The members the San Bernardino Valley College 1982 football team have had several reunions over the years.
But the one they held recently may be the best one yet.
The team finally got their championship rings.
It was the culmination of years of hard work by the people associated with the team to present them with a reward they believed was long overdue.
The effort started not long after that squad became the first team to be inducted into the SBVC Athletic Hall of Fame. Dr. Ken Lane, who served as the SBVC team doctor for several years, was one of the first to bring up the idea, and began lobbying school officials for help in getting the recognition started.
Lane and other people associated with the team – including SBVC Hall of Fame Trainer Mike Sola and player Steve Benke -presented their case to the leadership at SBVC, and found an ally in former President Diana Z. Rodriguez. She was supportive of making sure the team was honored with the rings.
From there, it was about covering the costs. Fundraising and contributions from the players and staff wanting a ring was able to get the process of making the rings started. A late contribution from an anonymous donor made sure the rings would arrive in time for presentation.
The original plan was for the rings to be distributed at the SBVC 95th Anniversary Gala on Jan. 22, but when that event was delayed due to Covid-19 concerns, the decision was made to have their own event that night at the Round Table Clubhouse in Highland.
At the event, the rings were handed out to the 22 members of the team who requested one. And each person had the chance to say a few words about what the team meant to them in their lives. The members of the team also pitched in to give a thank you gift to Chancellor Rodriguez for her support of the effort.
Each ring is adorned with the football helmet logo from the era, and includes the player’s name and number on one side, with the school’s old Indian logo on the other side with their 11-0 record displayed. An added part of the ring is a designation around the top commemorating their 2019 induction into the SBVC Hall of Fame.
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