Piccolo Award: Lisle’s Outstanding Male Athlete
Louis Brian Piccolo (October 31, 1943 – June 16, 1970) was a professional football player, a running back for the Chicago Bears for four years. He died at age 26 from embryonal cell carcinoma click photo to read more
The Brian Piccolo award is given to male senior athletes at Lisle Senior High School. This annual awards is an honor to those who have achieved high levels of success both on and off the playing field. The senior male who is awarded the ‘Piccolo Award’ has participated in Lion athletics for four years and will have been highly rated by a panel of coaches.
Participation in more than one sport will be considered as a positive element. Varsity coaches will be given an opportunity to nominate one worthy candidate per year.
Nominations will be in writing and will include a letter of support regarding the worthiness of the candidate for consideration. Coaches are asked to nominate only those athletes worthy of selection, as nominations will not be disclosed. In fact, all nominations and letters of support will be kept secret. A panel of coaches will discuss the nominations and present the candidates to the coaches at a meeting to be held in the month of May each year. Discussions and deliberations of the coaches will be kept secret. Secret ballot will be taken at this meeting; only those coaches present will be allowed to vote.
Letters of support should consider several personal elements. Nominees will be rated in each of several important categories.
The personal elements to be considered are as follows:
1) Commitment to Team
2) Character & Courage
3) Leadership Qualities
4) Self-Discipline
5) Coachability
6) General Attitude & Conduct
7) Dedication to School
8) Athletic Excellence
Letters of support should consider several personal elements. Nominees will be rated in each of several important categories.
The personal elements to be considered are as follows:
1) Commitment to Team
2) Character & Courage
3) Leadership Qualities
4) Self-Discipline
5) Coachability
6) General Attitude & Conduct
7) Dedication to School
8) Athletic Excellence
Brian Piccolo was a man who knew and lived the sport ethic that “winning is not enough. His very life is a testament to his effort and dedication.
Participation in more than one sport will be considered as a positive element. Varsity coaches will be given an opportunity to nominate one worthy candidate per year.
Nominations will be in writing and will include a letter of support regarding the worthiness of the candidate for consideration. Coaches are asked to nominate only those athletes worthy of selection, as nominations will not be disclosed. In fact, all nominations and letters of support will be kept secret. A panel of coaches will discuss the nominations and present the candidates to the coaches at a meeting to be held in the month of May each year. Discussions and deliberations of the coaches will be kept secret. Secret ballot will be taken at this meeting; only those coaches present will be allowed to vote.
Letters of support should consider several personal elements. Nominees will be rated in each of several important categories.
The personal elements to be considered are as follows:
1) Commitment to Team
2) Character & Courage
3) Leadership Qualities
4) Self-Discipline
5) Coachability
6) General Attitude & Conduct
7) Dedication to School
8) Athletic Excellence
Letters of support should consider several personal elements. Nominees will be rated in each of several important categories.
The personal elements to be considered are as follows:
1) Commitment to Team
2) Character & Courage
3) Leadership Qualities
4) Self-Discipline
5) Coachability
6) General Attitude & Conduct
7) Dedication to School
8) Athletic Excellence
Brian Piccolo was a man who knew and lived the sport ethic that “winning is not enough. His very life is a testament to his effort and dedication.
2019 Picollo Award winner Jay McGrath
2018 Picollo Award winner Cameron Stitt, Coach Carlin Nalley, & Tom Stitt
2017 Brian Piccolo Award Winner: Drew Sonnefeldt:
Drew had an outstanding career as a student athlete, excelling in wrestling and soccer. He will be attending Anderson College and studying engineering. 
Mr. Bartels,
First and foremost, I would just like to thank you for the Lisle Alumni and the Brian Piccolo Award Scholarships. In response to the attached questions in the Brian Piccolo Award letter, The experience at Lisle High School that was most influential to me was every day in wrestling practice with Coach Ruettiger, he met with us every day before practice to talk to as about not just being good wrestlers but being good people as well. He always said that wrestling is just a sliver of a moment in our life but we can take what we learned about toughness and grit and use it in our everyday life to keep fighting in life. A few words I would like to say to the Alumni about winning the Award and Scholarship is that I am very honored to have been chosen, I know that there were many good recipients this year and to be chosen out of all the excellent athletes makes winning the Award and Scholarship so much more memorable and special. Thank you, Drew Sonnefeldt |
HONOR ROLL OF CHAMPIONS
2019 Jay McGrath 2018 Cameron Stitt 2017 Drew Sonnefeldt 2016 Alec Van Volkenburg Elmhurst College Accounting and play football. 2015 George Swedie 2014 Kevin Coppin Football, Baseball 2013 Ryan Van Volkenburg Football, Baseball 2012 Ty Howell Football, Baseball 2011 Grant Fitzgerald Soccer, Track 2010 Jake Kretman Football, Wrestling, Track 2009 Jay Osika Soccer, Basketball, Baseball 2008 Adam Carlson Football, Wrestling 2007 Ryan Husch Football, Basketball 2006 Matt Schmitz Basketball, Track 2005 Mike Kilroy Football, Wrestling, Track 2004 Bill Mele Tennis, Golf 2004 Paul Mutschler Football, Basketball 2003 Matt Logeman Football, Basketball, Baseball 2002 Tom Buchholz Basketball, Baseball 2001 Martin Wilson Football, Wrestling, Track 2000 Aaron Giza Baseball, Football, Basketball 1999 Jarrod Jahnke Football, Track 1998 Ron Murphy Football, Basketball 1997 Chris Sally Football, Basketball 1996 Chris Jones Cross Country, Track, Basketball 1995 Bryan Bollendorf Football, Track, Basketball 1994 Kris Smith Football, Wrestling 1993 Dan Hajek Wrestling, Cross Country 1992 Justin Weiss Cross Country, Track 1991 Ken Gurney Track, Cross Country 1990 Mark LaScala Basketball, Football, Baseball 1989 Kurt Hegeman Tennis, Basketball 1988 Randy Bull Golf, Wrestling 1987 Dan Winz Football, Wrestling 1986 Alan Nalley Football, Track, Basketball 1985 John Bartels Wrestling, Track, Cross Country 1984 Jeff Garrison Football, Baseball 1983 Tom Stitt Basketball, Track, Football 1982 John Nalley Football, Basketball, Track, Cross Country 1981 Phil Hlavac Wrestling, Cross Country 1980 Marty Sauer Football, Basketball 1979 Chris Vodicka Football, Wrestling 1978 Bob Bonomo Football, Wrestling 1977 Jay Grochowski Football, Basketball, Baseball, Track 1976 Doug Overstreet Football, Track 1975 Jeff Payne Football, Basketball 1974 John Jelinek Football, Basketball 1973 Dick Dooley Football, Basketball, Baseball, Track 1972 Richard Basten Football, Track |