History of Athletics

Last Updated by Irene Tang - May 6, 2009

In 1981, two years after The King's College was founded, the College newly-formed hockey squad adopted the name "Trojans". In 1983, a campus-wide contest to choose a name for the College's recently formalized athletic teams resulted in the choosing of the name "Kyries", meaning, "belonging to the Lord/in the Lord's service". In the fall of 1992, the College athletics committee once again invited nominations for a new name from the members of the College community and the "Eagles" were born. Then hockey team captain, Clarence Wildeboer (Lacombe, AB), captured the essence of the name in his proposal to the committee:

"Eagles" is an ideal name for the sports teams representing a Christian college and, more specifically, The King's University College of Edmonton, Alberta. The eagle has both biblical and physical connotations which suggest it as a particularly suitable symbol. The eagle is mentioned several times in the Bible including references to its very noble physical attributes. Isaiah 40:31 suggests that ". . . those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles." As Christians, it is our desire to entrust our lives to the Lord. The notion of the eagle's flight fits well with the ideals and mission of a Christian liberal arts college. Psalm 103:5 suggests that God will help us in every way so as to heal, forgive and love, ". . . so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's". Both texts express ideas which parallel very closely the mission of The King's University College.

The University College mission statement proclaims that students are taught from a biblical perspective. It is important to all of us at King's to demonstrate this biblical foundation on the field of sport as well. It is our goal too that our students gain a deeper understanding of God's creation, equipping them for lives of service. Creation is God's gift to humankind; not only to admire and to co-exist with, but as the essence of our human existence. Clearly, it is appropriate to select the eagle, one of God's beautiful creatures, as the College's teams' nickname. The eagle serves not only as an excellent representation of God's wonderful and amazing creation; it is a symbol of strength, beauty and youthful vigour. An aspiration of all teams representing the College is to demonstrate these attributes, through their play on and off the field of sport. Further, the reference to youthful vigor aptly describes college athletics.

At King's, to soar like eagles connotes much more than simply competitive success. Our student athletes strive to set a fine example of institutional sportsmanship and a fighting spirit exemplified by fair play and a general sense of camaraderie on the field of sport.

In the fall of 1979, the The King's College commenced operations in leased facilities in downtown Edmonton. The absence of any athletic or recreational space on site precluded the development of an on-site athletics program at that time.
In the first year of the College's existence, 1979-80, Director of Student Life, Landor Liddel and several students at the institution organized men's and women's ice hockey teams which participated in several tournaments over the course of this premiere season. From 1980-81 to 1982-83, the team participated in the local Christian Reformed Church League.
In the summer of 1982, the College moved into new leased premises which included a small gymnasium and this, followed one year later by the arrival of Director of Student Affairs, Dr. Robert D. Day, marked the introduction of an official athletics program at The King's College. Dr. Day, with an extensive athletics background including degrees in physical education, included athletics and campus recreation as integral parts of the student life program at the institution. The athletics program has flourished since that time.

Originally, the men's ice hockey team was the flagship athletics program at the College emanating from Dr. Day's coaching experiences at the University of Alberta with the Golden Bears program. This program was highlighted in 1988 with the first tour abroad by a College group. The 1987-88 hockey season saw The King's Kyries hockey team travel to the Netherlands, Germany and Austria where they combined a .500 competitive record with second and third division European teams with a historical/cultural tour of these countries. In 1992, the team again ventured overseas to Holland, France, Switzerland and Germany with historical stops at Waterloo, Passchendaele, Ypres, Paris, Verdun and Arnhem. The team again fared well, posting another .500 win/loss record including a victory over a First Division Parisian team. Despite these developments, the hockey team was discontinued in the fall of 1993 in order to pursue program development in basketball and volleyball to garner acceptance in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC), a stature which was achieved in 1996 for basketball and for volleyball the following year.

Below, in chronological format, is the sequential development of the athletics programs at The King's University College:

1979-80

1980-83

History of Athletics

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