Luke mcguire stadium
The BUILDING ON EXTRAORDINARY Campaign
“tenacity in the face of adversity”
As a part of the BUILDING ON EXTRAORDINARY Campaign, a group approached the school about raising $1,000,000 to name the main stadium field after Luke McGuire. Luke would have graduated in 2016, and he played an integral role on the nationally-ranked 2013 Boys Lacrosse team.
Boys Lacrosse coach, Bob Waters, described Luke as the vocal leader of that special team — stepping into huddles, reminding players they were “playing for each other, their team, and their school.”
“It all began with a 14-year-old boy whose fighting spirit would not accept quitting or failure and would push our program to a new level of success that lives on in his memory.”
— Coach Bob Waters
The main stadium field will host competitions for football, lacrosse, and soccer. It will be home to Homecomings and pep rallies, host Special Olympics events, and welcome our neighbors to enjoy nights of football under the lights, and sunny days cheering on our soccer and lacrosse teams.
In Loving Memory of Luke Sheridan McGuire
Written with love and admiration by Dan McGuire
In November 2010, my son Luke was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma, a malignant bone tumor, and a rare form of cancer affecting children and adolescents. Ewing’s Sarcoma is a parent’s greatest fear. Each day we prayed for guidance and strength while exploring every possible medical treatment to get Luke well. On September 11, 2013, Luke’s suffering and his tireless battle to beat Ewing’s Sarcoma came to an end. Luke stayed strong with a positive outlook on life. Luke was 15 years old.
Luke’s friends described him as kind, generous, loyal, quick-witted, hilarious, righteous, and mature beyond his years. He loved the competitiveness that sports offer. He loved being part of a team: motivating and leading his teammates and friends.
Luke’s level of maturity, amazing tenacity, and enthusiasm motivated people of all ages. These qualities made people want to be around him. He could make anyone smile and laughter was everywhere he went. He always kept a strong relationship with God through all of his surgeries and chemo treatments. His faith got stronger, as did his relationship with Jesus Christ: someone else who also thought of everyone else first.
Luke’s favorite teams were the Washington Redskins and his high school, the Paul VI Panthers. He developed a great personal relationship with coaches and team members on the Redskins. Luke was invited to make the call on the coin toss and be one of the team captains for a pre-season game between the Redskins and the Pittsburgh Steelers. After the coin toss, walking off the field between Trent Williams and RG III, Luke said, “Robert, the way I see it I am way ahead of you.” RG3 responded, “Why is that?” Luke stated, “It has taken me a month to become a captain for the Redskins and you have been working on it for over a year now.” Trent, RG3, and Luke laughed like old friends. It was great to see Luke laughing and teasing the players. He was truly comfortable with anyone.
The etymology of sport can be traced to the French word “disport,” which means “the diversion from work or serious matters.” Sports give us an outlet to express ourselves and find sanctuary from our trials and tribulations. This sort of sanctuary is exactly what the Paul VI lacrosse team offered Luke.
Behind the scenes, Luke was having a serious battle. The around-the-clock chemotherapy sessions were hard on Luke and would have crippled most. However, game after game, Luke took his spot on the sideline for the Panthers, giving passionate locker room speeches, reminding everybody to keep their head up, and to never stop fighting. Losing the ability to play the sports that he had loved his whole life was devastating for Luke. Nevertheless, Coach Bob Waters and the PVI Boys Lacrosse team made sure that while Luke could not play the game, he would still affect the outcome with his voice, his energy, and his charisma. Luke’s tenacity in the face of adversity was an inspiration to not only the PVI Boys Lacrosse team but to the entire PVI community.
I am grateful that sports gave Luke his voice. And I am grateful that Luke used it to inspire all of us.