But for long time general manager Keith Evans and other volunteers who serve the junior football club the biggest victory has been providing young men aged 17-22 years a chance to play at a highly competitive level.

"The over-riding objective is simply to provide a chance for guys to play", explained Evans, who has been involved in junior football in Calgary since 1964. "Along with playing the game, you hope they will pick up a few good personal skills and ideas that will help them throughout their lives."

"I've always said that football is the perfect game. You continue to get hit, and hit hard, and if you can maintain your composure that will serve you well throughout you life."

The present-day club evolved from the North Hill Colts, who competed in the Alberta Junior Football League (AJFL) with the Calgary Mohawks, Edmonton Huskies and Edmonton Wildcats. The team was known as the Carma Colts for a few years while Carma Developers was involved as a major sponsor.

In 1967 the Calgary Colts Junior Football Association was formed under the direction of a core group of people that included Ron Urton, Doug Baker, Lyle Edwards and Evans. Operating from a clubhouse at Foothills Athletic Park the Colts competed in the AJFL, which eventually came to include the Red Deer Packers and the Medicine Hat Rattlers.

Under the direction of head coach Dale Parsons, who had played with the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Calgary Stampeders, the Colts won the AJFL title in 1972, after losing the championship game the previous year.

"It felt pretty good," Evans said of the championship. "Previously we had been the doormats for everybody, including the Mohawks. When Dale took over, I think we only lost one game in two years. He was a hell of a coach."

With the addition of the Saskatoon Hilltops, the AJFL evolved into the Prairie Junior Football Conference. The Mohawks, Packers and Rattlers eventually folded leaving the Colts, Rams, HIlltops, Huskies and the Wildcats. After the Rams left the junior league to become affiliated with the University of Regina, the Prairie Thunder was formed to fill the void in that Saskatchewan city. The conference has also added the Winnipeg Riffles since the 2002 season.

Always competitive, the Colts captured their first national championship in 1989. Under the direction of head coach Keith Kendall, the Colts finished fourth in the regular season and then shocked Regina and Saskatoon in the playoffs. The Colts staged another upset in the Canadian Bowl, defeating the favored Burlington Tiger Cats 23-6 at McMahon Stadium.

The following year the Colts placed second in the regular season and beat the Hilltops in overtime at McMahon Stadium in the semifinals. Calgary then beat the Rams at Regina to win the conference. The playoff trail was long in 1990 as the Colts beat the no. 1 Surrey Rams at Vancouver and the Thunder Bay Giants in a game at Winnipeg. the Colts then rolled to a 50-15 win over the host Windsor AKO to claim their second consecutive Canadian Bowl.

"It was great," Evans said of the back to back national titles. "Football brings the players together, you make all kinds of life-long friends. But when you win a national championship, especially two in a row, the guys become very close"

Calgary Stampeders fullback Scott Diebert, who won a national championship with the Colts, is the latest in a string of players who went on to professional careers. That list includes Lyle Bauer, Randy Bec, Doug Carlson, Dave Chaytors, Mark Clarke, Wayne Conrad, John Forzani, Ian Franklin, Cooper Harris, Ian Hewitt, Mike Hildebrand, Pat Hinds, Darcy Kopp, Harry Kruger, Glen Music, Rob Prodanovic, Kevin Stroud, Willie Thomas, Steve Thompson, Tom Trifaux, Brent Walker, Ken Whitney and Blair Zerr. Other players have used their experience with the Colts as a stepping-stone to Canadian and U.S. university and college teams.

Evans said the Colts have always enjoyed strong support from the Calgary Stampeders and the group that operates McMahon Stadium.

Evans admits the two national championships were highlights of the past 37 years, but notes the personal relationships with players, volunteers and other supporters are what have kept him on the scene as general manager.

"There are always a zillion problems, but whenever you can do something for a ball player that makes it all worth while", Evans said. "And when you win a few ball games, that makes it just a little better."