A true Marksman’s journey does not lie in the academic training he receives, but rather in the bonds he creates with his brothers. Many of these connections between Marksmen happen throughout the school day at lunch or flex time.

An easy way for a group of friends or a class to connect with each other is through a game of basketball or another intramural sport. That is why every Upper School grade has some form of basketball league or olympic games established to relieve the stress from a busy day. The difference between these leagues is how they are organized.

For the freshman class, the student council made sure to bring the whole grade together to participate in the Freshman Basketball League, even if not everybody is a player.

“There’s still a significant amount of kids who aren’t playing basketball, but every single game there’s about four guys who look super official at the chair with their stats out, typing away,” Freshman class sponsor Michele Santosuosso said. “And then they’re the media guys.”

When students graduate from St. Mark’s, they take the relationships and memories with them more than facts or formulas. That is part of why so many kids have bought into these leagues, even if they are not the best athletes.

“I think it brings people together because not everyone is an athlete, and not everyone’s a numbers guy,” Santosuosso said. “It forces the class all together in a really awesome way.”

Organizing grade-wide events often doesn’t achieve great success the first time. Especially for students entering upper school, student councils take a while to figure out how to appeal to the entire grade, not just to certain friend groups.

“This student council group is awesome, and Bryce, the president, wanted to do a Rocket League tournament,” Santosuosso said. “It was going to be Monday before school, which, in hindsight, was a big fat failure. Probably Monday before school is not the best time, but it’s trial and error.”

When freshmen transition from Middle School to Upper School, they rely on upperclassmen for advice on how to connect their grade. Upperclassmen offer a chance for younger students to have a mentor to lean on. In addition, tactics of previous successful leagues have been passed down to the current leaders of the school.

“This current senior class has killed it from freshman year as leaders,” Santosuosso said. “They are now starting a kickball league. I love the silly games, like kickball and dodgeball, because anyone can do it.”

The sophomore class has done many fun events organized by the student council, ranging from Brawl Stars tournaments to community service projects. But from an athletic perspective, many of the leagues are created within a friend group. One group has been playing a basketball league since 7th grade, hence the name G7. Although they have been playing for a while, the league is very fluid and has added many new members over time.

“I really enjoy playing G7 during lunch,” sophomore Thomas Zielenski said. “It is really nice to be able to play during lunch. It acts as a great way to burn some energy during a busy school week.”

The priority for varsity athletics is to win as many games as possible while fostering a cooperative environment for the athletes. On the other hand, the intramural sports leagues have the goal of creating a fun environment for any student, whether they are a great player or simply just enjoy watching their friends compete.

“Joining St. Mark’s as a freshman, my first interaction with students was through offseason football practice, which was awesome,” Zielenski said. “However, being included in G7 was great for another reason, and that was it allowed me to connect with my friends on a much more casual level.”

Drafts are not a common feature; in fact, almost all recreational sports leagues begin with a draft. After the draft, the teams get together to agree on a schedule that works for everyone while still prioritizing academics. In case of a conflict, there are reserves ready to step in at a minute’s notice.

“(The freshmen) had an actual draft,” Santosuosso said. “They took the best basketball players, and then each one drafted five guys.”

Even though the stakes are not as high for most of the intramural leagues, many students still take them seriously and enjoy the opportunity to be active. Intramural sports are not simply pick-up basketball games, but well-thought-out leagues that every person involved buys into.