It’s a warm fall Friday night. Hundreds of students are flooding into Hunt Stadium from all directions, ready to support their peers on the football field, on the volleyball court and in the pool. Off to the side, near the Zierk Athletic Complex, the students begin to crowd over an hour before the game begins.
This new tradition, coined the Lion’s Share by Upper School grade sponsors, is a pre-game party for St. Mark’s and Hockaday students leading up to the game. The idea, originally pitched by Student Council Sponsor Michele Santosuosso, attempts to increase student participation by changing the longstanding spirit party tradition.
Santosuosso hopes that the pregame parties and food will bring students onto campus sooner and keep them there throughout the game since they will no longer have to go off campus to grab a bite to eat. She hopes that with students staying for the entirety of the game, the players will feel the school spirit as well, even if they were not able to attend the Lion’s Share.
“I really want to see students excited for their brothers on the football field,” Santosuosso said, “Just the players seeing their friends out there supporting them will be great for the players’ energy going into the game.”
In the past, attendance at spirit parties fell as the year progressed, especially after Homecoming. Students often arrived late at games or skipped them altogether, leaving the stands barely filled.
By redesigning the spirit parties as pre-game events, Santosuosso hopes that the Lion’s shares will become an essential part of game day for students.
“Spirit parties were always a large commitment and expense, but they were never very well attended.” Santosuosso said, “So I proposed a party before the game to bring students in.”
To keep the high energy flowing, there will be four Lion’s Shares during the 2025-2026 school year, two during the fall season and one during both the winter and spring sports seasons. The events will have food, drinks and music, and will create an environment for the students to get excited for the game that night with their friends on campus.
The event will be open to all Upper School students from both St. Mark’s and Hockaday, and each party will have a designated theme. The first theme was USA to match the football game. The next Lion’s Share will be during the Homecoming game, so a blue and gold theme is the obvious choice.
For many students, the theme is a draw in itself. Themes offer a fun approach to a typical football game: tying the energy of dressing to a theme, music and decorations brings a new energy into the stadium.
Both parents and faculty have been assisting in setting up, planning and running the event.
“We have very generous moms who are the lead to make this thing happen,” Santosuosso said, “We met a bunch to talk about logistics, where the tables will go, music and a lot of things.”
The logistics of the event are no small responsibility. From coordinating food catering to setting up equipment and decorations, each aspect of the event is designed to bring students in while still maintaining a safe and fun atmosphere. The Lion’s Share is designed to be set up and taken down at ease. Tables, food and decorations are all set up to make the transition to the stadium seamless as the party winds down.
With the food, music and friends already there, the excitement should flow right into the stands.
The events will start at 5:30 p.m. and end just in time for the Lion’s Walk at 6:45 p.m., where the students will greet the players exiting the locker room for the final time before the game.
“It literally takes you right up to the Lion’s Walk,” said Santosuosso, “So bodies are here, we get to the Lion’s Walk, we get to the stands and we have a blast.”
Over time, the hope is that Lion’s Shares will turn into a long-term tradition of school spirit and community.
If attendance continues to grow, there could be more events and more student involvement. For now, the focus is on making sure this first year goes smoothly and ensuring a fun time for all.