Athletic Awards

As the school year ended, St. Mark’s honored its athletes and coaches at this year’s Athletic Banquet on Friday, May 19, 2023.  
  
“It has been a pleasure to watch our student-athletes excel in their respective sports while also growing and developing into young men of character,” athletic director Sean Lissemore said. “Our athletics program strives to teach our boys essential lessons about character, teamwork and perseverance that will resonate with them for the rest of their lives.” 
  
During the banquet, St. Mark’s honored numerous individual athletes for their outstanding performances, including the School’s four major athletic awards. 
   
The Tony Briggs Spirit Award is presented to a senior who has been constructively active in creating spirit and enthusiasm among the student body to the support of athletic teams and events, has been engaged in a variety of athletics as a competitor, has displayed, as a participant, enthusiasm and dedication, and has shown sportsmanship among the students and athletes of schools with which we compete. 
  
When you think about energy and school spirit, it’s hard not to think about this young man. His positive attitude and zest for life are contagious to everyone around him, and while he always wears his passion for St. Mark’s on his sleeve, he does it in a way that represents our school with integrity and class. When he wasn’t competing himself, he could often be found on the front lines of the student section pumping up the crowd and cheering on his fellow classmates. While his energy was off the charts, he was also the first to call out a fellow classmate if they got out of line. This Marksman genuinely cares about others and that is what makes him so passionate about supporting his fellow classmates. He was a dedicated two-sport athlete who excelled on the basketball court and as a thrower on the track and field team while also serving as one of the SuperFanMen. He was a 6-season letterman, an 8-season athlete and served as the captain of both the basketball and track and field teams. He was also the 2021-2022 winter SPC Sportsmanship Award recipient. The 2023 recipient of the Tony Briggs Spirit Award is George Genender ’23. 
 
  
The Red Barr Award is presented to a senior who has demonstrated the ideals by which Red Barr lived: patience, understanding, sportsmanship and dedication to excellence in the classroom as well as on the playing field. 
   
This outstanding Marksman scholar-athlete demonstrated all the qualities that you look for in a teammate. Beyond being well-rounded and incredibly talented, his upbeat demeanor and ever-present smile made him someone that brightened your day every time you saw him. His athletic gifts were complimented by a tremendous work ethic that made him a strong role model for other Marksmen to emulate. He also possesses an even-keeled, calm demeanor that was especially evident during tough games and high-pressure situations. His steadfast commitment to academics was consistent throughout his time at St. Mark’s, and he is the definition of what it means to be a scholar-athlete. He was a three-sport athlete who participated in football, wrestling and baseball and was an 8-season letterman, 10-season athlete and captain of the baseball team this past season. He was All-SPC in baseball his junior year and was recognized as the MVP of the baseball team. This past season he earned recognition as All-North Zone in baseball. He also served as one of the SuperFanMen and was selflessly dedicated to celebrating the achievements of others. The 2023 recipient of the Red Barr Award is Silas Hosler ’23.  
 
  
The Arnold E. Holtberg Athletic Leadership Award is presented to a senior who embodies the ideals of character and leadership in every facet of his participation on the playing fields, in the locker room, and around campus. This year, two outstanding athletes were selected for this award.  
 
The first recipient is someone who embodied the Marksman spirit in every way possible. A man of many talents, he excelled in everything he did at St. Mark’s. He is an accomplished athlete, student and chorister and could often be found singing the National Anthem before dominating an opponent on the wrestling mat. His ferocious and fearless demeanor in competition is a stark contrast to the kind, well-mannered gentleman he is everywhere else. During his time at St. Mark’s, he was a 9-season letterman, 12-season athlete and served as captain of the wrestling and baseball teams. He was All-SPC in wrestling in 2022 after placing second in the 220-pound weight class. He was also honored with the SPC Sportsmanship Award this past fall and is a recipient of the Iron Marksman Award. The first recipient of the 2023 Arnold E. Holtberg Athletic Leadership Award is Stice Neuhoff ’23. 
 
The second recipient of this award is a Markman student-athlete who always left everything he had on the field in both practices and games. I would casually walk by his practices during various seasons and watch with amazement as this young man ran through every drill like he was in the Super Bowl, World Cup or World Series. In football, he started out as a linebacker, but his injury forced him to play running back for the remainder of the season. He went from a hard-hitting linebacker to an unstoppable running back that trudged forward for hard-earned yardage, often with several opposing players in tow. This Markman was a three-sport athlete, 9-season letterman, 12-season athlete, and served as the captain of the football team this past season. He was also this year’s Football’s Hard Hat Award recipient and is a recipient of the Iron Marksman Award. The second recipient of the 2023 Arnold E. Holtberg Athletic Leadership Award is Keats Leffel ’23. 
 
  
The Thomas S. Adams Athletic Plaque is awarded for consistently fine contributions to the attitudes, the performance standards and the sportsman-like conduct of the St. Mark’s varsity athletics. 
 
The recipient of this award was a standout in every sport that he participated in, and his growth and development over the past four years have been remarkable. This talented student-athlete has demonstrated that he can do it all, and this isn’t just a product of his rare athleticism. It reflects his relentless work ethic, drive and determination to be the best. It isn’t enough to just be good, he wants to be great, and it has been a pleasure to watch his unwavering commitment to maximizing his athletic gifts. This young man competes with tenacity and emotion because he truly loves competitive sports. He embraces the grind and doesn’t shy away from challenges which have made him a great role model for others. He was a 7-season letterman and 7-season athlete, and served as a captain of the football team this past season. He was also named the MVP of the football team and received the team’s Craig Caudle ’79 Leadership Award. In addition to his football accolades, he was recognized as an All-SPC and All-North Zone runner in track his junior year and was also a meaningful contributor on the lacrosse team this past season. The 2023 recipient of the Thomas S. Adams Athletic Plaque is Blake Malouf ’23.
Back

    • George Genender ’23

    • Silas Hosler ’23

    • Stice Neuhoff ’23

    • Keats Leffel ’23

    • Blake Malouf ’23

St. Mark’s School of Texas

10600 Preston Road
Dallas, Texas 75230
214-346-8000

About Us

St. Mark’s School of Texas is a private, nonsectarian college-preparatory boys’ day school for students in grades 1 through 12, located in Dallas, Texas. St. Mark’s aims to prepare young men to assume leadership and responsibility in a competitive and changing world.

St. Mark’s does not discriminate in the administration of its admission and education policies on the basis of race, color, religion, sexual orientation, or national or ethnic origin.