INDIANAPOLIS, IN (March 14, 2023) — Merik Dismang, a four-sport Special Olympics Unified Sports® athlete from Olathe (Kansas) East High School, who is also battling cancer, has been selected the 2024 national recipient of the "National High School Spirit of Sport Award" by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS).

The "National High School Spirit of Sport Award" was created by the NFHS to recognize those individuals who exemplify the ideals of the spirit of sport that represent the core mission of education-based athletics.

Merik thrives on participating in multiple Unified Sports, including basketball, soccer, bocce and bowling at Olathe East. He has been a consistent performer on the three-time Unified bowling Regional Championship team, which includes a third-place overall finish at the state meet in 2021.  

As an athlete and as a student at the Center Based Resource Program, the impact he has had on his teammates, opponents and teachers is immeasurable. His unbreakable spirit and upbeat attitude mask the health challenges he faces.

In August, Merik was diagnosed with Large B-Cell Lymphoma. Following the diagnosis came a treatment plan that was exhausting. Early morning trips to Children's Mercy Hospital in nearby Kansas City for treatments start with blood checks and anti-nausea medication to help him over the next 24-48 hours. Then chemotherapy begins with several bags of medicines, which keep him at Children's Mercy for nearly seven hours.

In addition, Merik has a constant threat of a blood transfusion because the chemotherapy has killed too many healthy blood cells. He gets his lines cleaned at home every day and even has endured a type 1 diabetes diagnosis that was triggered by the cancer.
 

"Merik doesn't let on to what he is going through or how he is feeling," Olathe East Athletic Director Mike Wolgast said. "The only way you would know what is happening is he has lost his hair. He wants to participate; he wants to be with his teammates and coaches."

Merik's mother, Maureen, adds that his participation in Unified Sports has been his motivation to continue to fight cancer.

"Merik getting to compete allows him to get his powers back," Maureen Dismang said.

Merik's Unified partners marvel at his impact on his teams and the attitude he brings to competition.

"I am supposed to be here to help him as his peer and partner, but instead he has helped me be a better person and a better friend," one teammate said.
 
About the Award
In addition to the selection of Merik Dismang as the national award recipient, the NFHS National High School Spirit of Sport Award Selection Committee chose seven other individuals for section awards. Following are the 2024 National High School Spirit of Sport section winners:

Section 1 – Scott Meyer, student-athlete, Woodbury (Connecticut) Nonnewaug High School
A brain tumor diagnosis at age six began a life of treatments and five surgeries for Meyer. However, even with a weakened left side of his body and periodic seizures, he has persevered to excel at track and field and been a model student-athlete.

Section 2 – Hunter McKinzie, student-athlete, Mount Orab (Ohio) Western Brown High School
Diagnosed with stage 4 non-Hodgkins lymphoma in March of 2022, McKinzie made an incredible recovery to rejoin his football teammates six months later for his junior season. However, he was dealt another setback when he broke his leg in the second game of his senior season.

Section 3 – Jamarie Ballard and Chad Long, student-athlete and mentor, Chattanooga (Tennessee) Tyner Academy
Ballard was forced to deal with the murder of his mother as an 11-year-old. But, with the help of his grandparents and Long, the mentor he met at a summer camp, Ballard has become a model student-athlete at Tyner, leading the football team to a state championship in 2022.

Section 4 – Dave Yates, coach, Palatine (Illinois) William Fremd High School
Yates has built the girls basketball program at Fremd into a perennial power, winning more than 400 games since 2006. When a 2023 brain cancer diagnosis left him fighting for his life, Yates remained committed to his team and didn't miss a practice, leading Fremd to the third-place state tournament finish this season.

Section 5 – Merik Dismang, student-athlete, Olathe (Kansas) East High School
Section 6 – Terry Bussey, student-athlete, Timpson (Texas) High School
Bussey lost his mother to a stroke as a freshman in high school. Without his single parent and two sisters, who moved in with other families, Bussey lived with Timpson principal Jerrod Campbell and became a standout football player leading Timpson to a 2023 state title.

Section 7 – Joe Lomu, student-athlete, Eagle Mountain (Utah) Cedar Valley High School
A standout running back after his first three seasons at Cedar Valley, Lomu finished his junior season as the school's all-time rushing yards leader and was primed for his senior season. However, a cancer diagnosis in January 2023 led to the removal of most of Lomu's left leg, ending his football career. Lomu beat cancer and will head to college with the plan to eventually coach football.

Section 8 – Kyzaia Jones, student-athlete, Pavillion (Wyoming) Wind River High School
Jones, a standout football and basketball player at Wind River, witnessed a car accident involving two female classmates. In an attempt to assist the girls, Jones grabbed their car door handle not realizing it was touching a downed power line. The electrical current threw Jones back and he sustained third- and fourth-degree burns over 50-percent of his body.
 
Nominations for this award were generated through NFHS member state associations and reviewed by the NFHS National High School Spirit of Sport Award Selection Committee composed of state association staff members. The national winner and section recipients will be recognized June 28 at the NFHS Summer Meeting in Boston, Massachusetts.
The National High School Spirit of Sport Award was started in 2008. The previous national award recipients follow:
 
2008 – Tammy Dufford, cheerleading coach, Evergreen (Colorado) High School, and Megan Bomgaars, cheerleader, Evergreen (Colorado) High School
2009 – Dakota Dana, student-athlete, Afton (Wyoming) Star Valley High School
2010 – Tori Clark, student-athlete, Roselle (Illinois) Lake Park High School
2011 – New Kensington (Pennsylvania) Valley High School Softball Team and Umpire Bill Dithrich
2012 – Jacob Goldberg, student-athlete, Fort Lauderdale (Florida) Pine Crest High School
2013 – Magoffin County High School, Salyersville, Kentucky, and Logan County High School, Russellville, Kentucky
2014 – Zach Pickett, student-athlete, Shingle Springs (California) Ponderosa High School
2015 – Grace Cummings, student-athlete, Madison (Connecticut) High School
2016 – Ashley Carson, student-athlete, Ord (Nebraska) High School
2017 – Danny Lilya, student-athlete, Moose Lake (Minnesota) High School
2018 – Marissa Walker, student-athlete, Waterford (Connecticut) High School
2019 – Amanda Merrell, student-athlete, Huntingtown (Maryland) High School
2020 – Noah Lambrecht, student-athlete, McCool-Junction (Nebraska) High School
2021 – Hayden Holton, student-athlete, Elmore County (Alabama) High School
2022 – The Wyatt Family, Medina (Tennessee) South Gibson High School
2023 – Gabe Marsh, student-athlete, Guntersville (Alabama) High School
 
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About the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS)
The NFHS, based in Indianapolis, Indiana, is the national leadership organization for high school sports and performing arts activities. Since 1920, the NFHS has led the development of education-based interscholastic sports and performing arts activities that help students succeed in their lives. The NFHS sets direction for the future by building awareness and support, improving the participation experience, establishing consistent standards and rules for competition, and helping those who oversee high school sports and activities. The NFHS writes playing rules for 17 sports for boys and girls at the high school level. Through its 50 member state associations and the District of Columbia, the NFHS reaches more than 19,800 high schools and 12 million participants in high school activity programs, including more than 7.8 million in high school sports. As the recognized national authority on interscholastic activity programs, the NFHS conducts national meetings; sanctions interstate events; offers online publications and services for high school coaches and officials; sponsors professional organizations for high school coaches, officials, speech and debate coaches, and music adjudicators; offers online education courses for coaches, administrators, students, officials, performing arts educators, parents and others; and serves as a national information resource of interscholastic athletics and activities. For more information, visit the NFHS website at www.nfhs.org.
 
 
MEDIA CONTACTS:                    Bruce Howard, 317-972-6900
                                                      Director of Publications and Communications
                                                      National Federation of State High School Associations
                                                      bhoward@nfhs.org
 
                                                      Chris Boone, 317-972-6900
                                                      Assistant Director of Publications and Communications
                                                      National Federation of State High School Associations
                                                      cboone@nfhs.org
 
                                                      Nate Perry, 317-972-6900
                                                      Manager of Media Relations
                                                      National Federation of State High School Associations
                                                      nperry@nfhs.org