St. Louis Sports Foundation
Carl fricks Sportsmanship Scholarship
PRESENTED BY THE SPORTS COMMISSION & sports foundation
Rewarding St. Louis’ Good Sports
As part of our effort to promote and encourage sportsmanship in the community, the Carl Fricks Sportsmanship Scholarship is presented annually to graduating high school seniors from the St. Louis metro area who embody outstanding sportsmanship. The scholarship recognizes individuals who exemplify honesty, integrity, civility, selflessness, kindness, compassion and class in athletic competition. Candidates are evaluated strictly on their approach, character and respect for others on the playing field. Athletic performance (wins and other stats) does not factor in the selection – making this scholarship truly unique. Since the program’s launch in 2009, the Sports Foundation has awarded more than $237,000 in scholarships to 72 college-bound students.
For questions, please contact Solomon Alexander at 314-345-5130 or salexander@stlsports.org
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2026
CARL FRICKS SPORTSMANSHIP SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS!
JACOB BRAY
CBC HIGH SCHOOL
As a golfer, Jacob is faced with countless moments where honesty and integrity are essential. One such instance occurred when Jacob found himself in a 9-hole playoff with a spot in a prestigious tournament on the line. On the 6th hole, Jacob’s drive was lost in the rough. He took a drop and penalty stroke, then hit his next shot only to discover his original ball moments later. To play the ball, he had to take an additional penalty stroke which knocked him out of contention. No one would have known he played an additional shot if he didn’t call himself out. Jacob lost the playoff by one stroke but doesn’t regret how he carried himself on the course that day, saying, “Sportsmanship is not situational…it’s a choice you make every single time no matter what the cost.”
BRYCE CLAYBORN
CARDINAL RITTER COLLEGE PREP
Bryce has exemplified the Carl Fricks Sportsmanship Scholarship’s core values of integrity, selflessness, kindness, and character throughout his high school athletic career. More than just words, Bryce put those values into action during a track meet. He was competing in the 200-meter dash when the runner in the lane next to him tripped and fell mid-race. Bryce is competitive and momentarily thought about focusing on finishing the race – but on this day, Bryce elected to pick up his fallen competitor instead of trying to win a race. Bryce walked off the track with the runner who fell, arm in arm, as the race finished without them. The crowd saw this and gave Bryce a standing ovation for his selfless and compassionate act of sportsmanship. “Winning is great, but how you treat others when playing matters even more,” he said. “Sportsmanship is what turns athletes into role models.”
DREW KILLIAN
PATTONVILLE HIGH SCHOOL
Wrestling is a tough, grueling sport in which an athlete will use any slight advantage possible to best an opponent. While Drew is driven to win, he says “I’ve never been able to see the person across from me as an enemy. I see someone who has trained just as hard as I have, worked just as hard, and sacrificed just like I have – someone who deserves respect.” Instead of keeping the knowledge he’s gained through his many matches, Drew likes to engage other wrestlers in conversation after competition…talking technique, advice on how to wrestle a common opponent, and helping all wrestlers grow, no matter if they are a teammate or an opponent. Drew believes building up fellow wrestlers creates a healthier sport.
SKYE MADATALI
LADUE HIGH SCHOOL
Falling in love with tennis at an early age, Skye only recently realized how many lessons she has learned playing the sport, which has shaped the person she is today. In tennis, most often during matches the players must make line calls on the honor system. If she isn’t 100% sure if a ball is in or out, Skye has made a habit of giving her opponent the benefit of the doubt no matter the scenario in the match. Skye said, “In competitive environments, emotions can run high and pressure can build quickly. Respecting opponents, supporting teammates, and staying composed when things don’t go your way are things that define true sportsmanship. I believe that character is built through the choices we make when no one is watching.”
MACY MOECKEL
MEHLVILLE HIGH SCHOOL
Macy excels on the soccer pitch, but always maintains respect for everyone on the field, including officials and opponents. Easier said than done – especially when friendships are involved. Macy found herself in a predicament when she was playing on a new team. She noticed the first teammate she became friends with did not treat others with respect on the field. In one moment during a game, Macy’s friend disparaged a fellow teammate in a way that Macy didn’t agree with. She stood up to her friend, telling her it wasn’t okay to belittle another player in front of everyone and she should apologize. “That lost me a friend, but I stand by it and I would do it again because respect and accountability matter,” Macy said. “I don’t change my morals when I step onto the turf. I still treat people – refs, coaches, opponents – with respect.”
ELENA POTSOU
PARKWAY WEST HIGH SCHOOL
Playing various sports all her life, Elena says the moments of sportsmanship she has witnessed have left the deepest impression on her. She has been the recipient of acts of kindness and sportsmanship over the years and has always tried to pay it forward. During one lacrosse match, a player on the opposing team went down with an ankle injury. Elena did not hesitate, immediately rushing to the player’s side to comfort her and ultimately help her to the sideline to be evaluated by the trainer. “It doesn’t take exceptional talent to demonstrate good sportsmanship,” she said. “It simply takes awareness, compassion, and a willingness to put others first.”
ALAINA SPENT
FOX HIGH SCHOOL
As an ice hockey player and a referee, Alaina sees the value of having respect for everyone on the ice – especially opponents and officials. During games she is playing, Alaina does her best to break up scrums or diffuse conflict to help the officials keep control of the game and not allow emotions to go over the line. She has put herself between a teammate and opponent who were on the verge of fighting on more than one occasion to keep order and allow cooler heads to prevail. Alaina said, “I don’t just apply my sportsmanship to my teammates and coaches, I apply it to officials and opponents as well. As a referee myself, I know it is very irritating when players and coaches yell, talk back, and argue about calls – it isn’t good for anybody so I try to diffuse those situations when I can.”
PAST RECIPIENTS
You can view the bios of past recipients to see the type of attributes and actions the scholarship committee seeks to recognize.