You can watch the ceremony for Coach Larry McAfee in it's entirety above and the sign unveiling at the finish line below.
Ceremony Speakers
1:43 Heidi Pruess, PRC, Chair
3:35 Richard Prince, Former Myers Park Cross Country Coach
8:40 Dr. Eric Landis, Former Cross Country Athlete At East Meck Under Larry McAfee
13:57 Greg Clemmer, Division Director II Park Operations
15:54 Coach Larry McAfee
In the late 1970s Larry McAfee had an idea that he was going to build a course in this park just behind his house. He'd go on to get it built to host his Wendy's Invitational that was still in the early years. The course would go on to host the NCHSAA Cross Country State Championship for over 20 years. It'd also play host to the Foot Locker South Cross Country Regional which is still held at McAlpine Park.
Today Mecklenburg County Parks & Rec has named the cross country course Larry McAfee Course At McAlpine Creek Park to honor the man that kickstarted it all and has helped maintain it for 40 years.
Per NCPrepTrack's release of the news in February, The Board's Naming Application said: "In the 40 years since the cross country trail was built McAlpine Park has hosted over 200 major cross country events, all under the administration of Larry McAfee. Included in these events are the prestigious Wendy's Invitational which will be held in the park for the 40th time this year as well as the Foot Locker South Regional. These two races alone bring over 10,000 people into the park annually. Beyond these two races, the course hosts numerous school invitational events as well as conference and regional championships each year. The course has also played host to state championships for all four NCHSAA classes as well as having attracted national collegiate and AAU championships, beyond the daily use that the community has enjoyed since the creation of the course in the 1970s."
