Every week, the Sports Information Department at Purchase will select a new student-athlete, coach/staff or event to highlight in our "In the Panther Spotlight" feature … today's feature: Purchase Cross Country Head Coach Liam McGuirk and the Renaming of the Port Chester Modified Cross Country Race 

Purchase, NY (Oct. 14, 2016) – He made a name for the race.

And now, in his honor, the race will be named after him.

Longtime local educator and coach Liam McGuirk helped turn the Port Chester Modified Cross Country race for seventh and eighth graders into the biggest race for that age group in New York. His contributions – 27 years strong – were given the ultimate tribute Friday afternoon at Purchase College, as the race has now been renamed in his honor: The Liam J. McGuirk Annual Port Chester Middle School Invitational.

In a simple twist of fate, Purchase Athletic Director Chris Bisignano recalled the first time he met McGuirk as a fourth-grade student. The Port Chester native said, "He found me on my first day in Port Chester as a fourth-grade student that had just started going to school in town. It's hard to believe, but I would find him 30 years later on campus and after catching up, I offered Liam a job coaching our cross country program. He's a terrific educator and coach and this honor is well deserving. He's done so much for children in Port Chester."

Today, McGuirk is the head men's and women's cross country coach at Purchase, but in addition to those duties, this event is at his heart. "I'm really speechless," he said of the renaming. "It's an incredible honor. I love cross country and helping young people, and events like this combine the two. It's remarkable how much we have grown in these 27 years."

A brand new sign with the race's renaming was posted at the starting line on Purchase's "Great Lawn" – something that brought a tremendous smile to McGuirk's face.

The Panther head coach was even more delighted to see members of his cross country team there in support of the youth race, and his proverbial day in the sun. He was joined by his assistant coaches, Declan Foley and new assistant Elizabeth "Betsy" Eickelberg.

"It is such an honor to be able to work with a coach like Liam," said Eickelberg. "He has been in this profession for such a long time, so his knowledge and dedication to this sport is hard to match.

"He puts his whole heart and soul into this meet and into every single day, making sure his athletes are happy and focused. Seeing the teams interact with Liam today just proved even more to me how respected of a coach he is throughout the schools. He is a great influence to not only the athletes but to the people that get to work alongside him."  

Foley said Liam's passion for sport is admirable, and like Bisignano, paths – or shall we say, trails – crossed with McGuirk, making Friday afternoon all that much sweeter.

 "I ran in the Port Chester Middle School Cross Country meet back in 1994 and 1995, so to cross paths once again with Liam and see how much this meet has grown is tremendous," Foley said. "The time and energy put into today goes unnoticed by most, but I know the reward for Liam is that, for an hour or two, he has provided an environment for young kids to feel good about themselves."

-With Elizabeth Eickelberg