On Jan. 30, fourth generation Kern County resident and Bakersfield congressmen Kevin McCarthy honored the Bakersfield College football team.
BC won the state championship on Dec. 8, when they defeated City College of San Francisco 35-14 at Bakersfield College.
McCarthy, who attended Bakersfield College in 1984-1985, was presented with a BC state championship jacket by BC president Sonya Christian.
Before McCarthy was introduced, Christian expressed how excited she was with the championship run. “We showed California what Bakersfield is made of,” Christian said.
“Let it be known that our athletics excel on the field and more importantly, in the classroom. We are proud to be Renegade!”
After being honored by Mayor Harvey Hall Jan. 23 at City Hall, BC continued to get recognition and support when McCarthy presented the team with a framed United States flag, that was flown over Washington D.C. in honor of their state championship victory.
“What you did in this victory will stay with you a lifetime,” McCarthy said about the football team.
“People will talk about it for years to come, but the thing you have to learn from what you did, is the teamwork of what you created.”
McCarthy also talked about when he was a teenager, he would come up to Memorial stadium and watch the Renegade football team play.
“When you talk to people throughout the community, they talked about the pride that the team gave them, but more importantly what this community means.”
McCarthy also honored each member of the team with congressional records, to remind them every day of the achievement they accomplished, which was winning the state title and how they had to fight for their playoff hopes to capture the opportunity to play postseason football.
McCarthy said that what the players learned at a community college will have them better prepared at the next level of school they attend.
McCarthy, (a proud fourth generation resident) said that he takes great pride in starting his political career in Bakersfield.
“It brings me a great deal of pride,” said McCarthy when asked how it felt to be back at BC.
“I grew up coming to this stadium, I went to this school. As a young kid I came in here and played. I watched many games and I remember as a young kid going to the Pasadena junior Rose Bowl. But this team winning the state championship is a great deal of pride. It’s a pride for the team, it’s a pride for the college, and it’s a pride for the community as well,” he also added.
Sonya Christian also commented on her thoughts of The Renegades “incredible” title run when she was asked about the feeling of the football team championship victory in her first year in office.
“It’s really an honor; I really believe that athletic programs increase the academic performance of students,” said Christian.
“Our athletic program, our coaches, our athletic director and our faculty, we emphasize the importance of our student athletes really performing well.”
Christian also talked about how amazed she was on the support the community gave the football team.
BC drew a crowd of 16,000 plus fans.
“What was amazing was the turn out of our community to support BC. It was incredible and we need to continue to keep the support and bring the community back.”