Alon Purrio (left, photo by Jamie Merashoff) and Lee Brill (right, photo by Michele Brill)

By Brady B.
Sixth Grade, Krieger Schechter Day School of Chizuk Amuno Congregation

Over the years, nearly 1,000 students have had the honor of graduating from Krieger Schechter Day School of Chizuk Amuno Congregation. Every year, new students join the school community, while others graduate and move on to different high schools.

However, even after receiving their diplomas, many alumni return to KDS to visit teachers, attend celebrations, chaperone trips and volunteer.

Leonard Brill ‘05 and Alon Purrio ‘11 are two alumni who returned to their KSDS roots to serve as coaches for the school’s soccer teams. Brill has coached the boys’ A soccer team for four years, as well as the school’s track team for one season. He also owns a personal training company called Lee Brill Training LLC.

Currently a college student, Purrio first started coaching the boys’ B soccer team this year.

Returning to one’s old school as a coach can be quite exciting, they say.

“It is awesome coming back because I was once a student watching others coach, and now I get to do it,” Purrio said. “Also, it is fun to coach students at the school I once attended.”

Brill reiterated that sentiment. “Coming back, I was really excited because KSDS has been a huge part of my life, and it is important to me to give the next generation the same experience I had,” he said.

Though their graduations were years ago, Brill and Purrio have many great memories of their time as KSDS students.

“I was with my friends for so long, and by the time we got to middle school, we were all so close,” Brill recalled. Purrio’s middle school highlight was playing basketball for KSDS.

Both also share fond memories of their eighth grade, all-Hebrew musicals. Brill performed in “Guys and Dolls.”

“I was in a lot of the dances and helped work on stage designs and stage crew,” he recalled. Purrio’s play was “The Wizard of Oz,” and he took on the role of a munchkin.

Purrio has played soccer as an avocation for many years.

“Mike [Foxwell, KSDS’s athletic director] emailed me saying he needed a soccer coach, and I thought it would be fun,” Purrio said.

Brill continued to play soccer as a hobby; however, “it was good timing.

“Chris [Schanberger, a former KSDS physical education teacher] posted that the school needed a new coach a few years ago, and I had just moved back to Baltimore.” Brill answered the ad and quickly filled the role as coach and mentor to KSDS athletes.

Both coaches have inspired many players, including Julian K. and Josh D, both KSDS sixth graders.

“Lee taught me that I have to keep moving. Also, he taught me not to push my limits. If tired, I should ask to be subbed out,” Julian said.

Josh, who was coached by Purrio, said, “When we would play a type of soccer game called ‘World Cup,’ Alon would always be on his own team and would dribble through all of us and score. After World Cup games, I wondered if I practiced enough, maybe I could become as good as Alon.”

Purrio and Brill have combined two of their favorite things by coaching soccer to the next generation and by reconnecting with their KSDS roots. They both look forward to continuing to inspiring the young athletes at the school.

 

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