As time passes, the bonds forged on a football field remain strong no matter how many years go by, says Canadian Football Hall of Famer Larry Reda.
The only things that change ever so slightly are some of the details in the stories that are told each time players get together to talk about the good old days.
“We tell bigger lies,” the 84-year-old North Vancouver native says with a laugh. “You go back and talk about what we did. … There’s always lots of stories to tell, reminisce.”
The longtime football coach and administrator is one the lead organizers for a reunion taking place Saturday at the Capilano Rugby Club that will bring together players who suited up for North Shore Lions, Cougars, Wildcats, and Argos – junior and juvenile teams that used to play in Lower Mainland leagues.
Reda is expecting a turnout of 100 players or more for a celebration of teams that have been defunct for at least 33 years – the Cougars were the last North Shore junior team and they were shut down in 1983. The bonds, however, are as strong as ever, says Reda, which is why periodic reunions are still a huge draw.
“The efforts and demands to play football, regardless of what level you play at from high school on, is demanding,” Reda says. “I think that the bonding is very unique. I played soccer, I played lacrosse, I played baseball, I played a lot of sports, but I think football is a very bonding type of game and a lot of guys keep in touch with their friends.”
Reunions are helped along by people like Reda whose instant recall of events that happened half a century ago is remarkable.
“Let me take you back, if I can,” he says before launching into an elaborate detailing of how the North Shore’s junior football teams were formed and what years they played. His memories are augmented by a huge trove of artifacts from the good old days.
“I’m kind of the curator of all the memorabilia that we have,” says Reda. “I have scrapbooks and jackets and clothing and team pictures. You name it, I’m the guy that’s got it. … I’ve got about eight or 10 big huge albums with all kinds of newspaper clippings. All the guys come back and they spend a great deal of time looking at the things that they did, the write-ups that they got when they were playing.”
Reda was inducted into the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame in 2011, and has won many awards including the CFL Commissioner Recognition Award, Bob Ackles Lifetime Achievement Award, and the NFL Seattle Seahawks 12th Man North Award. Those accolades all demonstrate the powerful bonds forged on the football field that have helped keep him pushing forward for all these years, says Reda.
“I’m in the Canadian Football Hall of Fame, I’ve received awards for my contributions but it’s not me, it’s all the people that either played for me or worked with me, directors or things like that that keep me going every day.”
The reunion will run from noon to 4 p.m. at the Capilano Rugby Club. Tickets, $25, are available at the door and include food and drink. For more information contact Larry Reda by email at [email protected] or by phone at 604-987-6340.
