The Glenbrook Foundation and the family of Mike Lanphere recently awarded the 1st annual Mike Lanphere Spirit Award. The Lanphere family will give the award on a yearly basis to a deserving Glenbrook South lacrosse player who embodies Mike’s joyful attitude and spirit.
Mike played lacrosse and hockey all four years at GBS. He played with all heart and an unbound determination to take on challenges, no matter how daunting. He sacrificed himself for his teammates, both on and off the field. Mike truly enjoyed being out there, with a playful and positive attitude that was contagious to those around him. Mike had an amazing ability to push his teammates to get better, yet keep them laughing throughout.
Mike attended and graduated from University of Colorado at Boulder where he majored in Geography, focusing on weather and avalanches. He played intramural hockey and hit the slopes with his snowboard every chance he got. Once graduated, he moved to Vail, Colorado where he was a beloved snowboard instructor and coach during the winter and rafting guide during the summer. He continued to play hockey for the Vail Resorts Ski School team. Mike had a wonderful life full of loving friends and family and non-stop adventures. He died at the age of 29 of Burkitt lymphoma on February 24th, 2016.
Mike showed us all that physical education, combined with scholarly education, teamwork, school spirit, and competitiveness could be a way of life. Mike learned the importance of taking care of body, mind and spirit and this made him happy. These attributes carried Mike into a world of coaching, instructing, guiding and teaching. A week before dying, he said, “I’ve lived more than most, even the ones who get all 100 years.”
The Lanphere family hopes that the scholarship will be used to make the recipient’s life better through sports or education.
