Sylvia Cardenas was the kind of person everyone in her community knew. She’s described as having a maroon heart and bleeding gold — the colors of her Harlandale alma mater.

That’s why the Harlandale community rallied to name the high school’s gym in her honor, after Cardenas died in June only weeks after being diagnosed with cancer at the age of 64.

Graduating from Harlandale High School on the South Side in 1979, Cardenas would go on to lead a legendary coaching career for more than three decades at the same school she graduated.

During that time, Cardenas served as head volleyball coach at Harlandale for 28 seasons, leading her teams to more than 600 victories, 25 playoffs and countless other recognitions before retiring in 2016.

Her record, 608-330, is a hard one to beat.

Though th

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