Throughout the 100 years, St. Charles High School  and the football program has grown and grown to what it is today. Over this century, they have grasped Four undefeated seasons, one state championship, and held onto a State Semi-Finalist spot. Over 25 coaches have overseen the workings of the football teams and have given their knowledge and experience to make the most successful teams. On October 15, 2021, it will be the time to celebrate.

“Technically, this is 101 years, but due to COVID last year, it wasn’t a great year to try to do a celebration.  It’s a milestone. It’s not a lot of football programs and small schools that are 100 years old,” Activities Director Corey Hahn said. “So trying to build up the night there and get a chance to kind of celebrate the last 100 years of football and other kids have participated in it will be amazing.”

Making a successful team takes hard work, determination, and sacrifice. The past and present SCHS football teams know how those traits and efforts can affect a season in an instant.

“The purpose of high school sports is to develop kids. It’s about basically taking young adults and turning them into responsible and contributing members of society. So I mean success, everybody wants to look and go, oh wins and losses, that’s not the purpose of high school sports,” Hahn said. “I mean, obviously everybody wants to play the game and wants to win, but my thing is, it’s about having a good time, or I think we’re learning the lessons of leadership, how to work as a team, how to communicate, discipline, sacrifice, things like that.”

Even though the players on the field are a very big part of the team, the heart and sole of the game comes from the coaching staff. Head coaches make sure they have the knowledge and ability to lead their team to a strong victory.

“I feel honored to be able to coach the 100 year game of SCHS football,” Head Coach Robert Leonard said. “We will try to do our best and I want them to understand that this is a big event for St. Charles High, so we will work hard.”

As there are many players on the team, throughout the school, there are a couple of men that now work at SCHS. Including Assistant Principal Jeff Thorne and Health Teacher Ben Owens. Back in those times, the same amount of effort and determination was still present.

“Just playing sports in general is a great tool for kids to use as they get older,” Owens said. “In regards to the 100 years, it’s pretty amazing that something like that has happened. I’m very blessed to be a part of that history.”

In these 100 years, SCHS football has grown and grown to become a strong, determined team. At their lowest, they find a way to come back and give it their all.

“It’s been a long history of some really good deals and some ups and downs,” Thorne said.

Overall, the Pirates can give themselves credit for what they have accomplished. They earned everything that was fought for. There can only be one word to describe the Pirates.

“That’s tough. one word. I would say it would probably be tradition,” Thorne said.

The school has a football history that has made who these players are today. The men that played years ago created the foundation for the players in today’s generation. Not many schools in St. Charles County can say they have had 100 years of a football tradition and that’s special. That’s Pirate pride.