Every basketball season since 1994, the Spirit of Su award has been presented at halftime of the championship game of each state tournament. Fast forward to the year 2020, and the tradition was forced to change.
There were no state championship basketball games this spring, which meant no special awards, such as the All-Tournament team, Spirit of Six, and Spirit of Su award, being handed out – or so we thought.
Last week, the South Dakota High School Activities Association, the ‘Visions of SuAnne’ Foundation, and the South Dakota High School Basketball Coaches Association teamed up to present six ‘Spirit of Su’ awards, because there are six classes of high school basketball in South Dakota, to worthy individuals.
The six award recipients were Cooper Cornemann (AA boys), Emma Osmundson (AA girls), Maxwell Nielson (A Boys), Morgan Hammerbeck (A Girls), Nicholas Sayler (B Boys), and Sydnie Schauer (B Girls).
For Morgan Hammerbeck of Winner High School, who like all of the honorees this season was one of the best high school basketball in the state, the award was a surprise.
“[Winner head coach Larry Aaker], he texted me and said ‘hey, can you come in Tuesday for a picture with your all-state plaque?’ I was like ‘ok, yeah, I can do that, I’ll get it done and be there.’ He said ‘how about your family comes?’ And I was like ‘hmm that’s kind of weird, but maybe we want a family picture or whatever.’ So then I went in and they surprised me a half an hour before the [SDHSAA] got there,” explained senior basketball standout Morgan Hammerbeck. “It was surreal. It’s been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember, so it was pretty crazy.”
That’s right, instead of receiving the award in front of thousands of fans, in the middle of March, the award was presented to her in an empty gymnasium with a small group of people present. This is how all six awards were presented. Members of the SDHSAA traveled across the state to present each kid with a plaque and quilt that comes with the ‘Spirit of Su’ honor.
“It was a weird feeling having my family and maybe a few other community members or people from my school. It wasn’t a big ceremony or anything, but it was just as special having everyone there,” Hammerbeck stated. “It was kind of like I won this big award, took it home and laid it in the living room. It was a big event, but it all just settled down so quickly.”
The ‘Spirit of Su’ award is presented each year to a basketball student athlete at the high school level who display excellence in academics, athletics, leadership, and community service. And, the award is only given to a senior, meaning this year, the award recipients are a part of the 2020 graduation class.
For most who win the award, they recognize the magnitude of it. This is no different with Morgan Hammerbeck.
“It’s been a dream of mine. I remember when I was in 5th or 6th grade watching the ‘AA’ class play their state tournament and I remember watching Macy Miller win it, and then I remember looking at my mom and saying ‘I want to win that award someday,’” exclaimed Hammerbeck. “It still hasn’t really sunk in.”
While the coronavirus has forced many traditions to stop completely this spring, the ‘Spirit of Su,’ despite the ceremony being a bit modified, found a way to continue on.
