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During his career at Loudoun Valley, McKay served as a teacher, department chair and track, football and golf coach. He was a past winner of the Ray A. Croc Teacher of the Year Award and a year ago was honored by the students as the school's graduation commencement speaker.
McKay exits on a great 4-year run at the AAA level as the Vikings won back-to-back Northwest Region tittles and advanced to four consecutive state tournaments, finishing fifth in 2010. The Vikings were also regional runner-up in 2008 and won the title in 2007 for three regional titles in the 4-year span.
McKay, a Purcellville native and graduate of Loudoun Valley, mentioned a year ago how honored and humbled he was at the invitation to speak. “Have you gotten to the bottom of your list?” McKay joked.
He originally had prepared his speech with the theme of taking risks in life, but knew the Class of 2010 already knew all about that. Instead, he focused on “loyalty and the creation of a legacy.”
“Out of loyalty, legacy is born and you have helped create the legacy that is Loudoun Valley.”
McKay differentiated his class of 1963 and the class of 2010 by pointing out Loudoun Valley High School's legacy was not defined when he graduated. “A school's legacy does not simply appear as part of new bricks and mortar and perhaps Astro Turf. You, along with every other graduating class since 1962, have contributed to our legacy.”
He asked the students if they knew what loyalty and legacy look like. In doing so, he asked everyone in the stands who had attended Loudoun Valley to stand up. “Many of you are parents and grandparents of a member of this class. Seniors, that is what loyalty and legacy look like.”
McKay then recognized the retiring teachers and asked them to join the others standing.
“You have dedicated your lives to this school and to our teaching profession. There are 221 years of teaching experience represented by our seven retiring teachers. Seniors, that is what loyalty and legacy look like.”
Finally, the students who were joining the armed forces were asked to stand. “You, who will be putting your lives on the line for our country…that is what the ultimate loyalty looks like.”
Sporting accomplishments were not to be forgotten.
“The number of regional, district and state trophies in our trophy cases with this year's teams alone is a testament to the legacy that is Loudoun Valley and to our great senior leadership.”
Pursuing a legacy McKay warned, is not without its share of struggles and failures. “It won't get any easier once you leave the security of a Viking ship.”
McKay promised that sometimes failure is just inevitable, whether it be in relationships, projects, business or even college courses. But the larger concern is reaction to that failure. “As a coach I can tell you that the true character of a team, as well as an individual is not reflected when the team is on a winning streak. The true character is revealed when you suffer a loss.
“Failure teaches you things that you cannot learn any other way…When you survive failure you will emerge stronger and wiser.
“Learn from your experiences here and trust you will be fine.”
Read McKay's complete commencement speech from 2010.
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