The 2004 Marty Glickman Award was presented Jan. 24 to the St. John’s Prep track team at the New Balance Games at the Armory.
The Prep team, which was selected by a blue-ribbon panel of running community VIPs and sportscasters, received the award based on its combined athletic and academic performance, community activity and school spirit. The track team was awarded a check for $10,000. The runner-up, Stuyvesant, received a $5,000 award.
Marty Glickman, who died in 2001, was a Hall-of-Fame sports broadcaster and a mentor for top sports announcers, including Bob Costa and Brent Musberger. Glickman cited his athletic achievements at Brooklyn’s James Madison High School as the springboard to his future successes.
A number of qualities distinguished St. John’s Prep from other applicants for the Marty Glickman Award. The Prep team involves more students than does any other extracurricular activity. George Cooksey, who has coached the team for 15 years, pointed out that team members have served as student council executive board members, class presidents and retreat leaders in the school’s Campus Ministry Program.
In addition, many came to the team with extensive community service experience in their churches and communities. One team member, Toni Jones, who spent three years in a refugee camp after civil war in Liberia forced her family out of their home, has worked with UNICEF for several years fighting for the rights of children throughout the world. Toni inspired the team to take on the cause of child welfare by supporting UNICEF.
Cooksey, who noted that the St. John’s Prep track team has several CHSAA champions, stated the following in the team’s application: “I am awed by the content of this team’s character. … They have given their all to the wonderful sport of track and field and to their community and have discovered a way of life that transcends the victories, grades and social distinctions they have achieved.”
In his letter to the award-selection committee, Principal William Higgins declared, “The school spirit that our track team exudes is contagious. It influences other students as they see the team practice in and around the building on a daily basis. … The track team should be saluted for all they do to promote school spirit at St. John’s Prep.”
The St. John’s Prep community is justifiably proud of its track team.
