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Why I Give: Antwain Barfield, STM Parent & Coach
My connection to St. Thomas More began in 2012 when I became an assistant basketball coach under John Hoch. He had been my coach at Shorewood High School, and after bumping heads initially, we developed a great relationship during my senior year. As I got older, I developed a different perspective on Coach Hoch; he was a tough coach, but I knew he had my best interests at heart, and I appreciated that.
My connection to St. Thomas More began in 2012 when I became an assistant basketball coach under John Hoch. He had been my coach at Shorewood High School, and after bumping heads initially, we developed a great relationship during my senior year. As I got older, I developed a different perspective on Coach Hoch; he was a tough coach, but I knew he had my best interests at heart, and I appreciated that.
When John took over as president of STM, I began to meet more of the faculty and staff, and I started to see the school in a different way – could this be the right high school for my daughter? I liked that we held our players accountable academically; they weren’t just here to be good at basketball. I wanted my daughter to be part of a culture that emphasizes academics and not just sports.
The more I looked at STM, the more impressed I was. Obviously, there has been a great deal of athletic success at the school recently, but academics has always come first. It’s a great calling card to have. I tell others about the athletic success, but I know for a fact – it doesn’t matter if you’re the best player in the school; academics will always come first.
My daughter is getting good grades and pushing for great grades. She was disappointed with a B+, and to see her not satisfied speaks volumes about the culture of the school. She can be herself and learn more about who she is while striving for excellence. I attended the Dinner Auction for the first time in March of 2023, and my wife and I had an amazing date night.
Hoch invited us and told us to come and have fun; seeing the faculty and staff relaxed and not in “teacher mode” was really fun – it didn’t even feel like we were in the school. I support STM because I want to see that the teachers are taken care of, so they can continue to go above and beyond for the students. There’s no better way to make sure that happens than by supporting financially.
Coach Hoch planted that seed a long time ago about giving back. For me, it’s a blessing to be able to support a place that I believe in – a place that’s led by someone that’s been so influential in my life. It’s the right thing to do.
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When John took over as president of STM, I began to meet more of the faculty and staff, and I started to see the school in a different way – could this be the right high school for my daughter? I liked that we held our players accountable academically; they weren’t just here to be good at basketball. I wanted my daughter to be part of a culture that emphasizes academics and not just sports.
The more I looked at STM, the more impressed I was. Obviously, there has been a great deal of athletic success at the school recently, but academics has always come first. It’s a great calling card to have. I tell others about the athletic success, but I know for a fact – it doesn’t matter if you’re the best player in the school; academics will always come first.
My daughter is getting good grades and pushing for great grades. She was disappointed with a B+, and to see her not satisfied speaks volumes about the culture of the school. She can be herself and learn more about who she is while striving for excellence. I attended the Dinner Auction for the first time in March of 2023, and my wife and I had an amazing date night.
Hoch invited us and told us to come and have fun; seeing the faculty and staff relaxed and not in “teacher mode” was really fun – it didn’t even feel like we were in the school. I support STM because I want to see that the teachers are taken care of, so they can continue to go above and beyond for the students. There’s no better way to make sure that happens than by supporting financially.
Coach Hoch planted that seed a long time ago about giving back. For me, it’s a blessing to be able to support a place that I believe in – a place that’s led by someone that’s been so influential in my life. It’s the right thing to do.
St. Thomas More is a Catholic, coeducational high school that inspires students to embrace the values of our Patron Saint by becoming men and women for all seasons. Rooted in Christ and the Catholic tradition, the school community embodies the principles of Christian discipleship, service to others, and academic excellence.
Thank you to Visual Image Photography and ValerieAnn Photography for capturing many of the photos on tmore.org.
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