Garry Lefebvre
Encyclopedia
Garry Lefebvre, is a former award winning and Grey Cup
champion Canadian Football League
player with the Edmonton Eskimos
and Montreal Alouettes
at the wide receiver
and punter
positions.
for 3 seasons before joining the Edmonton Eskimos
in 1966. Playing 16 games and catching 9 passes for an impressive 25.3 yards average and 3 touchdowns, he won the Dr. Beattie Martin Trophy
as best rookie in the Western Conference. After 2 more season in Edmonton, Lefebvre was disappointed to learn he was traded to the last place Montreal Alouettes
. His unfortunately short 1970 season was redeemed by a Grey Cup
victory, in which he caught the final touchdown. Returning to the Eskimos, he was the Dick Suderman Trophy winner for best Canadian in a Grey Cup
loss to the Ottawa Rough Riders
in 1973. His best season was 1974, when he caught 36 passes for 575 yards and played in the Grey Cup, losing to Montreal. In 1975 he won his second Grey Cup
, again against Montreal.
While mostly a receiver, Lefebvre was also a first string punter, punting 83 times in 1968, 102 times in 1973, 103 times in 1974, and 127 times in his final season. He could also play defensive back, intercepting 7 passes and returning 2 for touchdowns (both in 1967.) Finally, he attempted 2 passes during his career, completing both.
He is a long standing founding member of Athletes in Action
, joining them in 1972.
Lefebvre built and directed Canada's first Circle Square
youth ranch in Halkirk, Alberta
, where he and his family served for eight years. After founding and pastoring a small church in Kelowna
, BC in 1988, Garry returned to Edmonton in 1992 as director of the 100 Huntley Street
counselling center. In 1995, he brought the ministry of Athletes International Ministries to Canada, where he is presently Executive Director. In January 2009, he became the Regional Co-ordinator of Edmonton and area for Promise Keepers Canada.
Grey Cup
The Grey Cup is both the name of the championship of the Canadian Football League and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is Canada's largest annual sports and television event, regularly drawing a Canadian viewing audience of about 3 to 4 million individuals...
champion Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
player with the Edmonton Eskimos
Edmonton Eskimos
The Edmonton Eskimos are a Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. They currently play in the West Division of the Canadian Football League . Edmonton is currently the third-youngest franchise in the CFL, although there were clubs with the name Edmonton Eskimos as early as 1895...
and Montreal Alouettes
Montreal Alouettes
The Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions...
at the wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
and punter
Punter
The word punter may refer to:* A speculator in the stock market* A gambler, particularly an amateur betting on horse racing or a player in the game of Baccarat* A beginner skier or snowboarder, especially one with particularly bad style...
positions.
Professional career
After being injured in high school, Lefebvre starred with the Edmonton WildcatsEdmonton Wildcats
The Edmonton Wildcats are Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. The Wildcats play in the Prairie Football Conference, which is part of the Canadian Junior Football League and competes for the league championship, the Canadian Bowl...
for 3 seasons before joining the Edmonton Eskimos
Edmonton Eskimos
The Edmonton Eskimos are a Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. They currently play in the West Division of the Canadian Football League . Edmonton is currently the third-youngest franchise in the CFL, although there were clubs with the name Edmonton Eskimos as early as 1895...
in 1966. Playing 16 games and catching 9 passes for an impressive 25.3 yards average and 3 touchdowns, he won the Dr. Beattie Martin Trophy
Dr. Beattie Martin Trophy
The Dr. Beattie Martin Trophy is a Canadian Football League award, given to the most outstanding Canadian player in the West Division. Each team nominates a player for this award, from which the winner is chosen...
as best rookie in the Western Conference. After 2 more season in Edmonton, Lefebvre was disappointed to learn he was traded to the last place Montreal Alouettes
Montreal Alouettes
The Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions...
. His unfortunately short 1970 season was redeemed by a Grey Cup
Grey Cup
The Grey Cup is both the name of the championship of the Canadian Football League and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is Canada's largest annual sports and television event, regularly drawing a Canadian viewing audience of about 3 to 4 million individuals...
victory, in which he caught the final touchdown. Returning to the Eskimos, he was the Dick Suderman Trophy winner for best Canadian in a Grey Cup
Grey Cup
The Grey Cup is both the name of the championship of the Canadian Football League and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is Canada's largest annual sports and television event, regularly drawing a Canadian viewing audience of about 3 to 4 million individuals...
loss to the Ottawa Rough Riders
Ottawa Rough Riders
The Ottawa Rough Riders were a Canadian Football League team based in Ottawa, Ontario, founded in 1876. One of the oldest and longest lived professional sports teams in North America, the Rough Riders won the Grey Cup championship nine times. Their most dominant era was the 1960s and 1970s, a...
in 1973. His best season was 1974, when he caught 36 passes for 575 yards and played in the Grey Cup, losing to Montreal. In 1975 he won his second Grey Cup
Grey Cup
The Grey Cup is both the name of the championship of the Canadian Football League and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is Canada's largest annual sports and television event, regularly drawing a Canadian viewing audience of about 3 to 4 million individuals...
, again against Montreal.
While mostly a receiver, Lefebvre was also a first string punter, punting 83 times in 1968, 102 times in 1973, 103 times in 1974, and 127 times in his final season. He could also play defensive back, intercepting 7 passes and returning 2 for touchdowns (both in 1967.) Finally, he attempted 2 passes during his career, completing both.
Career regular season statistics
| CFL Statistics | Receiving | Punting | Interceptions | |||||||||||||
| Year | Team | GP | Rec | Yards | Y/R | Lg | TD | Punts | Yds | Ave. | S | Int | Yds | Ave | Lg | TD |
| 1966 1966 CFL season The 1966 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 13th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 9th Canadian Football League season .-CFL news in 1966:... |
Edmonton Eskimos | 16 | 9 | 228 | 25.3 | 55 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1967 1967 CFL season The 1967 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 14th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 10th Canadian Football League season.-CFL news in 1967:... |
Edmonton Eskimos | 16 | 13 | 336 | 25.8 | 74 | 2 | 4 | 130 | 32.5 | 0 | 2 | 91 | 45.5 | 53 | 2 |
| 1968 1968 CFL season The 1968 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 15th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 11th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 1968:J.G... |
Edmonton Eskimos | 15 | 19 | 319 | 16.8 | 59 | 3 | 83 | 3239 | 39.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1969 1969 CFL season The 1969 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 16th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it was officially the 12th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 1969:... |
Edmonton & Montreal | 13 | 18 | 357 | 19.8 | 58 | 1 | 24 | 873 | 36.4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1970 1970 CFL season The 1970 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 17th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 13th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 1970:... |
Montreal Alouettes | 2 | 1 | 14 | 14.0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1971 1971 CFL season The 1971 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the eighteenth season in modern-day Canadian football, although it was officially the fourteenth Canadian Football League season.-CFL News for 1971:... |
Montreal Alouettes | 9 | 20 | 294 | 14.7 | 43 | 1 | 30 | 1149 | 38.3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1972 1972 CFL season The 1972 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 19th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 15th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 1972:... |
Edmonton Eskimos | 16 | 1 | 12 | 12.0 | 12 | 0 | 103 | 3984 | 38.7 | 0 | 4 | 30 | 7.5 | 28 | 0 |
| 1973 1973 CFL season The 1973 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 20th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 16th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 1973:... |
Edmonton Eskimos | 16 | 18 | 335 | 18.6 | 43 | 4 | 102 | 4239 | 41.2 | 2 | 1 | 14 | 14.0 | 14 | 0 |
| 1974 1974 CFL season The 1974 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 21st season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 17th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 1974:... |
Edmonton Eskimos | 16 | 36 | 576 | 16.0 | 66 | 3 | 103 | 4211 | 40.9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1975 1975 CFL season The 1975 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 22nd season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 18th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 1975:... |
Edmonton Eskimos | 1 | 2 | 93 | 46.5 | 83 | 1 | 4 | 153 | 38.3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1976 1976 CFL season The 1976 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 23rd season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 19th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 1976:... |
Edmonton Eskimos | 16 | 16 | 293 | 18.3 | 48 | 3 | 127 | 5005 | 39.4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 136 | 153 | 2857 | 18.7 | 83 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 134 | 19.2 | 53 | 2 |
Personal
He is married to Sandi and they have 4 children: Cheri, Brad, Julie and Jesse.He is a long standing founding member of Athletes in Action
Athletes in Action
Athletes in Action is an evangelical Christian sports ministry in the tradition of Muscular Christianity. Athletes in Action, a ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ, works with athletes and coaches to use the unique platform of sport to help people around the world with questions of faith...
, joining them in 1972.
Lefebvre built and directed Canada's first Circle Square
Circle Square
Circle Square was a Canadian children's television series that ran from 1974 to 1986. The series was produced by Crossroads Christian Communications in cooperation with the Circle Square network of summer camps for children of Christian parents...
youth ranch in Halkirk, Alberta
Halkirk, Alberta
Halkirk is a village in central Alberta, Canada within the County of Paintearth No. 18. It is located east of Red Deer at the intersection of Highway 12 and Highway 855. Founded in 1912, Halkirk was named after Halkirk, Scotland.- Demographics :...
, where he and his family served for eight years. After founding and pastoring a small church in Kelowna
Kelowna
Kelowna is a city on Okanagan Lake in the Okanagan Valley, in the southern interior of British Columbia, Canada. Its name derives from a Okanagan language term for "grizzly bear"...
, BC in 1988, Garry returned to Edmonton in 1992 as director of the 100 Huntley Street
100 Huntley Street
100 Huntley Street is a Christian daily talk show and the flagship program of Crossroads Christian Communications based in Burlington, Ontario, Canada. Created in 1976 by Rev. David Mainse, it first aired on June 15, 1977 from its first studios located at 100 Huntley Street in the St...
counselling center. In 1995, he brought the ministry of Athletes International Ministries to Canada, where he is presently Executive Director. In January 2009, he became the Regional Co-ordinator of Edmonton and area for Promise Keepers Canada.