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Serving the Fullerton Community Since 1922

The Hornet

Fullerton College football alumni reunite during Homecoming to celebrate Hal Sherbeck legacy

Alumni of the Fullerton College football family gathered to celebrate the legacy of coach Hal Sherbeck during the Homecoming game against Golden West College on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022, at the Fullerton Union High School football stadium. The game was the last in the regular season for the Hornets, who will be playing in Sherbeck Field next season. The stadium, named after the coach, will have a grand opening in September 2023. Photojournalist Aaliyah Skipper covered the event with a photo essay featured below.

 

Current Fullerton College head football coach Garrett Campbell arrives with the team at the Fullerton Union High School stadium on Nov.12, 2022, and stops to give Dave Chaffin a hug during the pregame portion of the football alumni event. Chaffin was an athletics trainer for the Hornets from 1996-2007.

 

A photo of past Fullerton College football coach Hal Sherbeck is displayed on a table outside the Fullerton Union High School stadium on Nov. 12, 2022. Sherbeck, who began coaching at then Fullerton Junior College in 1961, won national titles with the Hornets in 1965, 1967, and 1983, as well as 16 conference titles. He amassed 241 total wins, which at the time of his retirement were the most ever by a community college football coach. Sherbeck  coached more than 100 All-Americans and sent more than 500 players to 4-year schools to continue their athletic and academic careers. He passed away in 2014.

 

Tariq Ahmad reunites with Tino Ray Younger during the Hornets football alumni event on November 12, 2022 outside the Fullerton Union High School stadium. Younger and Ahmad were best friends during their days attending Fullerton College. While Younger was a soccer player, his father had played football for the Hornets, and he became good friends with multiple members of the football program, who treated him as part of the team family.

 

Hornets alumni Johnny Alba, a strong side guard, and John “The Buzzard” Kliminski, a weak side guard, reunite to celebrate the legacy of Fullerton College football under Sherbeck on November 12, 2022 outside the Fullerton Union High School stadium. Alba and Kraminski were members of the college’s 1983 national championship team.

 

Tino Ray Younger brings a Fullerton College yearbook and Hornets football playbook that had belonged to his father, Forrest “Frosty” Younger, to display at the check-in table outside the Fullerton Union High School stadium on Nov. 12, 2022. They are shown alongside other items depicting Hornets football. The elder Younger was humble about his accomplishments, and spoke little about his athletic career. It wasn’t until his father passed away and Tino found trophies and plaques in his father’s belongings that he learned of his achievements with Hornets football and track & field.

 

Hornets football alum Ted Nelson catches up with alum John Conley outside the Fullerton Union High school stadium at the event honoring the legacy of Fullerton College coach Hal Sherbeck on Nov. 12, 2022.

 

Fullerton College football alumni gather on the field during halftime of the game against Golden West College on November 12, 2022 at the Fullerton Union High School stadium. The event celebrating the legacy of coach Hal Sherbeck comes to a close off with speeches about the life changing impact they experienced by being part of the Hornets football program and coached by Sherbeck.

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    Ben VegaNov 14, 2022 at 11:34 pm

    Ryan & Aaliyah thank you for covering this great story. It was a wonderful night of giants smiles and joy. Hornets from 1961-2021 attended this event. Thank you again

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