Jack Chesman Recipient of the 2024 Michael DeLucia Sportsmanship Award
Archmere senior Jack Chesman has been named winner of the 2024 Michael DeLucia Sportsmanship Award, presented annually to a senior football player from a Delaware Catholic high school. The award is presented to a player who has exemplified outstanding performance, attitude and character on and off the field.
Jack received the award in early February from Kevin DeLucia, Michael’s younger brother. The Dialog captured the moment, quoting Jack as saying, “It’s sportsmanship, it’s teamwork, it’s dedication, it’s faith, it’s community.”
Per the Dialog article:
Per the Dialog article:
Chesman, a member of St. Mary of the Assumption Parish in Hockessin, had 42 tackles and one sack this past season for the Auks, who reached the state tournament all four years he played there. The Auks won the Class 2A state title in 2021, his freshman season, and reached the title game again when he was a junior. The team’s success on the field stands out to him, but for Chesman, it was always about more than that.
“It’s definitely been one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life,” he said. “Playing football at Archmere has made me the person that I am. I think about it every day. I’m going to miss it every day. It definitely flew by.”
He said former teammate Kieran Udovich, the 2022 DeLucia Award co-honoree, was a big influence on him. The two talked quite a bit, and Udovich helped keep Chesman motivated through tough times. “He was really there for me as a big influence,” Chesman said.
A force both on and off the field, Jack has proven to be a role model to his team, has been a leader in football, track and lacrosse, and last year was named one of the 2024 Delaware Student Visionaries of the Year winners by The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) Eastern PA-DE Region. He led the team, “It’s In Our Blood”, raising $106,000 during their 7-week fundraising endeavor. Student Visionaries of the Year is a groundbreaking philanthropic leadership development programming in which courageous young leaders embark on an exciting 7-week journey with a goal to create a world without blood cancers.
A force both on and off the field, Jack has proven to be a role model to his team, has been a leader in football, track and lacrosse, and last year was named one of the 2024 Delaware Student Visionaries of the Year winners by The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) Eastern PA-DE Region. He led the team, “It’s In Our Blood”, raising $106,000 during their 7-week fundraising endeavor. Student Visionaries of the Year is a groundbreaking philanthropic leadership development programming in which courageous young leaders embark on an exciting 7-week journey with a goal to create a world without blood cancers.
The Michael DeLucia Sportsmanship Award was created by Salesianum alumnus Tom DeLucia and his wife, Saint Elizabeth alumna Pat, in honor of their son, Michael, who died from meningitis in 1971 at age 18 months. The DeLucia Award, which has gone to 73 players in its 51 years, is now presented by Michael’s brother, Kevin DeLucia.
Jack always maintains a positive attitude and supports those around him, a trait that has earned him a great amount of love and respect from teammates and faculty. In the article, he names teachers Sharon Archer (Chemistry) and Therese Horning (French) as positive influences who have helped shape him.
Congratulations on a much deserved honor, Jack!
Archmere Academy is a private, Catholic, college preparatory co-educational academy,
grades 9-12 founded in 1932 by the Norbertine Fathers.
grades 9-12 founded in 1932 by the Norbertine Fathers.
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