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08/20/2018 01:12 PMA committee will be formed to explore naming a location within Branford Public Schools in honor of Cathy and John McGuirk. The Branford residents coached Branford High School (BHS) Field Hockey together and retired from their roles in January 2018.
At the August 15 Branford Board of Education (BOE) meeting, chairman Michael Krause announced that he would be forming a naming committee to honor the McGuirks. Once gathered, the advisory committee would be tasked with determining the best options for the request and bring the findings to the full board for a vote.
Under head coach Cathy McGuirk during 41 seasons, BHS Field Hockey earned 558 victories and 10 state championships. McGuirk’s husband joined her in coaching the team beginning in 1977. In the McGuirk’s final season last fall, the Hornets finished with a record of 17-3-0-2, won the SCC regular-season title, reached the SCC Tournament final, and also earned an appearance in the Class M State Tournament semifinals.
Back in August of 2017, as Cathy McGuirk was entering her 41st year of coaching, Krause noted the BOE had received some inquiries and requests from the public asking for a naming honor. Back then, Krause was forming up a naming committee to respond to numerous naming requests to honor another long-serving member of the BHS community, choral director Cathyann Roding, who retired in June 2017. In November of 2017, following a vote to approve an advisory committee’s recommendation, the BHS auditorium was officially renamed as the Cathyann Roding Auditorium.
-Sports Editor Chris Piccirillo contributed to this story