Jon Gordon put people first as Marist’s cross country and track coach. ‘He loved the sport, and he just loved everyone.’

Brian Ferguson was on Indiana University’s campus in spring 2021 when he scanned his phone and was stunned.

He saw a tweet about a track meet his alma mater, Marist, was hosting. The meet was named in honor of someone he knew very well.

Himself.

“I saw the Brian Ferguson Invitational and was kind of shocked for a second,” he said. “Usually, people wait 40 years and then they get a meet named after them. It really is something.”

The mastermind behind naming meets after Ferguson and others who had their senior track seasons canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic was Marist cross country and track coach Jon Gordon.

Gordon, who had been at Marist since 2017, died Dec. 9 at age 51. Gordon had a love for his athletes and for the sports he coached, and after 13 years of coaching at Northside Prep, made an impact right away at Marist.

Thomas Leonard, now a junior runner at Marquette, also had a cross country meet named in his honor.

“We made it to state in his first year,” Leonard said. “It was an absolutely amazing experience, and it was eye-opening to everyone what we were capable as a group.”

Before that Class 2A state appearance in 2017, the last time the RedHawks qualified for state was 1998.

In 2021 and 2022, Gordon guided Marist to the first track sectional titles in program history.

“I was on fall break and talked with him at a cross country meet,” Leonard said. “He was so excited about track season and how good the team was going to be.

“Winning back-to-back sectional titles is insane, and he was talking about doing it again this spring. Now he’s gone, and it’s very sad. It’s crazy.”

Gordon, who was a lawyer, did not teach at the school as his main career. But he went out of his way to spend time for his athletes.

He used social media and a website to promote the RedHawks. Ferguson remembers morning announcements at the school featured everyone after a meet.

“He made sure every player who had any kind of contribution got recognized for what they did,” Ferguson said. “He really didn’t leave anyone out. Track took up a minute or two.”

Caleb Davis, who also graduated with Ferguson and Leonard, is at Marist College in New York. He gave up track but walked on in the spring with the Red Foxes’ rowing team.

“I give all the credit to the training coach Gordon gave me, and the coaches at college were impressed with my endurance and stamina,” Davis said. “A lot had to do with my years with him.

“It was very tragic and sad to hear of his death, and sometimes you don’t realize the impact people have on you until they are gone, which is really unfortunate. I’m definitely appreciative for all of the time he gave us.”

All three have fond memories of Gordon.

Leonard appreciated the coach renting out a ballroom at the East Bank Club in Chicago for the team banquet and emphasizing family.

Davis appreciated that when he was injured and couldn’t run during Gordon’s first year, the coach still treated him well and made him feel welcome and a part of the team.

Ferguson said he was touched during his freshman year in college when Gordon sent him a holiday package.

“What’s always stuck with me the most is he loved his players,” Ferguson said. “It didn’t matter if you were the fastest runner or the slowest. He would give you the same amount of attention. He wanted to help you grow both on and off the track.

“He loved the sport, and he just loved everyone.”

Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.