LANCASTER, N.Y. -- There's a living legend on Lancaster's sidelines with 80 years of football in his blood. Joe Foyle started in Lancaster in 1951, he's seen it all, done it all, and coached it all for the Lancaster high school football program.
"He is an invaluable resource. Just seeing him out here is a huge motivator, he has had a huge impact on my life. He works incredibly hard, he will break down game film for us, he sends me notes in the mail every week or two about things we could do better, play suggestions. It is incredible at 92-years-old he still has the drive to make a high school football team better," said Lancaster head coach Eric Rupp.
It's hard to get better than Coach Foyle's 5 championships, a 160-83-9 record, and get this his 1955 ball club was never scored on. So when the icon speaks, the kids listen.
"It is amazing to have such a legendary figure here, that won some many football games here, it goes back to the tradition we have here. That is something we pride ourselves in is the tradition at Lancaster. He is part of that, he started that, so it is awesome to have an iconic figure on the sidelines," said Lancaster quarterback Ryan Mansell.
So why is the 92-year-old icon still willing to stand in the rain for a random Wednesday practice?
"It's just staying active and being around the game I have always loved to be part of and being with the kids makes you young," said Foyle.
Coach Foyle is a living life luminary here in Lancaster. He brought this program to prominence in the 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s. He means so much to this tight-knit community that they named the stadium after him.
"He is an icon, everybody in the town knows who he is, and I don't know anybody that has every said a bad work about him. Everybody looks up to him and adores him," added Rupp.
When everyone smiles when your name is mentioned, you've achieved much more than wins and losses. That's my take away from meeting Coach Foyle.